


Kisstober

by plikki



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fictober 2019, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Kissing, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Nightmares, One Shot, Wedding Fluff, adrienette - Freeform, ladrien, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-12-01 22:31:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 41,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20920031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plikki/pseuds/plikki
Summary: A collection of one shots following the Fictober 2019 prompts. With a twist (all of them include a kiss). All sides of the Love Square and some extras.





	1. I Might Just Kiss You - LadyNoir

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was actually thinking that it was such a shame that I'd missed all the love square months this year. Because I actually want to try my hand at such a challenge. And then I stumbled upon some Fictober fics and looked through the prompts. And decided to give it a try. I'm already a bit late. And I'm really not sure I'll do them all. But I did start. And I'll see how far I go.  
Each chapter will be for a different prompt, no connection between them (I don't think I'm up to doing anything like this yet).  
I'll add more tags with the next chapters.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to make Chat shut up in this particular way was a disastrous idea. Or maybe not?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go. I'm starting with prompt 5, it just caught my fancy from the prompts I'd missed so far. I hope you like it!

There they were, at it again. Ladybug really couldn’t believe her luck. It was supposed to be good luck, but alas, no chance for that, not with that black cat always coming up with something to irritate her. 

“I’m telling you, you should totally give up on that guy. I mean, he’s had enough time to make a move,” Chat was saying. She sighed, not believing they were actually having that conversation.

“Well, I’m pretty patient. I can keep waiting as long as I have to,” she said, trying not to snap at him. This was not a good topic and got on her nerves pretty quickly. 

“But why wait? If he doesn’t have the guts, you go ahead and ask him out. You’re Ladybug. No way he’ll say no, right? No guy in his right mind would.” 

That was pretty smooth, she’d give it to him, sneaking in a compliment like that.

“Um, well, I can’t really go to him as Ladybug. You know, secret identities and all. And I can’t imagine me dating a civilian while I’m a superhero.”

“Well, go ask him as yourself then. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t make a difference. You’re the same person after all. The same beautiful, smart, kind and brave girl. With or without the mask.” 

She was pretty used to him praising her like that all the time. At any given opportunity. He never held back. So, why was this particular line doing things to her? She could feel her cheeks burning up. This was not fair, she’d been doing so well. 

Or not that well. But the idea of her having to defend her feelings for Adrien and her still single status in front of Chat had never really crossed her mind before. So she’d been unprepared for his verbal attack. And he’d taken advantage of that. 

She couldn’t think of good enough arguments. And she didn’t really have to, right? She was in no way obligated to provide him with arguments in favour of her crush. Why couldn’t he just accept this and move on? 

What Ladybug was secretly afraid of was that this line of questioning would soon prove that there really was no reason for her to hold on to her feelings for Chat’s mysterious rival, as he’d called him. Because really, why was she still so hung up on him? This only lead to disaster after disaster. She couldn’t confess her feelings to him and anyway what was the point of her doing it since he was clearly in love with someone else. Oh, the irony wasn’t lost on her. That she was in the same situation with Adrien as Chat was with her. 

The smart thing would be for her to accept that there was no chance for her and Adrien. Accept that they were meant to be friends and be happy about that. Because being his friend was still a great thing. 

And then? Move on, perhaps. Open up her heart to other opportunities. There were so many great guys out there, she was sure. And she’d been so blinded by her infatuation with Adrien that she wasn’t seeing them. Like Luka, for example. Because he was cute and kind and so many other great things. And he liked her, he’d pretty much confessed his love to her. Wouldn’t it make a lot more sense for her to like someone who liked her back?

And then her treacherous mind did the worst thing. Yes, Ladybug, it would make a lot more sense for you to finally give a chance to someone who’s been patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for you for so long. And someone who you’ve been so stubborn to even consider this way. Because you would never, not in a million years, admit defeat. Admit that you may have some feelings for Chat? Give him the satisfaction of knowing that he’d won you over? No way. You’d much rather stay single and lonely and unloved.   
Wow, where had that come from? She was stunned. How could she think this? This was preposterous! She shook her head, trying to clear it of such ridiculous thoughts. 

And Chat was still waiting for her reply. Time to think of something smart. 

“Um… well, thank you. It’s really kind of you to say that. It does great things for my self-esteem. But it’s still up to me to decide if I want to do something about that, right?”

“It’s just not fair. A lovely lady like you shouldn’t be alone. Especially if her heart is already dedicated to someone. That someone should know about that. And if he doesn’t do what’s appropriate in that situation (like see you for the wonderful person that you are), then he doesn’t deserve you.”

Now, how to disagree with that? He was really very close to wearing her down. She couldn’t take much more.

“You’re doing this on purpose, right? You know, you can see for yourself that this is a sensitive topic to me. And yet, there is no stopping you.” She was a bit angry but mostly resigned. 

“I want you to be happy, bugaboo. I can’t just stand here seeing you miserable, unsure of yourself, lovesick and not do anything.”

This made everything so much worse. Because his concern was genuine. He was saying this as a friend, not only as someone in love with her. But what was she to do? Admit defeat? Right, not possible.

“Do me a favour and stop badgering me about this,” she said, still trying to sound stern. Not one step away from agreeing with him, throwing herself into his arms. Wait, what?

“What if I don’t want to? You obviously need that little push to decide once and for all what to do. I might as well give it to you.”

“If you don’t stop, I might have to take some drastic measures,” she warned him, although she was not sure what this would entail.

“What would you do to make me stop talking?” he teased. 

There. That was enough. He’d see about that. 

“I might just kiss you,” she blurted. Before she realised that this was a really, really bad idea. Because this was no motivation for him to stop talking. He’d totally call her bluff. 

“Well, that’s interesting. Such an ominous threat. You might want to act on it soon, though. Because I can keep this up for quite a long time. I have many arguments stacked up, most of them in my favo-mmph”

She didn’t know when she’d moved. All she knew was that she suddenly found herself with lips pressed to his. Well, it was a surprisingly effective way to shut him up, she mused. She’d provem her point, she should stop now. Not let thoughts of how amazing this actually felt distract her. No, this was wrong. She shouldn’t enjoy kissing him that much, she thought panicked. But she couldn’t bring herself to take a step back. And then it was too late, because he’d gotten over the initial shock and was wrapping his arms around her, bringing her close. He was also tilting his head, his lips suddenly insistent on hers. She found herself gasping as sensations bombarded her brain. 

And he deepened the kiss. She was done. No longer able to fight off the onslaught of pleasure. No point in trying to deny that this was the best thing that’d happened to her. Her hands moved on their own volition, burying in his hair. Bringing him closer. She wanted this, it felt good to finally admit. To surrender to the need to feel him like that. 

She didn’t want it to end. But even as it physically hurt her to separate her mouth from his, to let that sweetness go, to see the pleasant fog that had clouded her mind lift, she had to. She needed to take a breath. 

Finally pulling away from him, she fought to catch her breath. To regain her composure. To think of what this all meant. Real fast. 

She opened her eyes reluctantly. Because she was certain she’d see determination in his. He was not likely to let that go. 

But she wasn’t prepared for the softness that accompanied the expected determination. Because the way he was looking at her wasn’t just a challenge, “Deny that you felt the same thing I did”. It was also pure adoration. It was overwhelming happiness. 

“You know, this wasn’t one of my brightest ideas,” she muttered, looking away. Her cheeks were flushed. Again. 

“I beg to differ. This was your best idea. And it worked. I’m totally shutting up about that other guy.”

Well, that was a small consolation, at least, Ladybug thought.

“Now, about what just happened and how you can’t possibly deny that this was amazing, I can talk forever,” he added, a teasing glint in his eyes. 

On second thought, she was screwed. 


	2. Yes, I'm Aware. Your Point? - Marichat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat tricks Marinette into a kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've changed the fic's title, because as I was writing this one shot I realised it would once again end up in a kiss. And thought to myself "Why don't I do this with all of them?" And thus, this is Kisstober. There will be a kiss in each one shot. I hope I manage to do it. But I think that no matter how many times we make these two kiss, it will never be enough, don't you agree with me?  
And I've also decided to put the Love Square pairing in the chapter's title, for your convenience if you're looking for one in particular. I'll make use of all of them, including the two additional ships we've had recently (as if four wasn't enough, haha) - BugNoire and Ladybug/Aspik (is there another name for this one,huh?).  
As usual, enjoy!

“How about a goodbye kiss?” Chat asked, cheeky grin in place. 

“What gave you the idea that I want to kiss you?” Marinette asked haughtily, raising an eyebrow. 

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she heard an alarm going off in her head. This was how Ladybug would react to such a question from him. Not Marinette. What did she think she was doing, acting like that? If only she could backtrack and erase that line. 

She expected him to be surprised. Well, maybe not, she’d acted like that around him before. But hadn’t done it in a long time. Because she’d seen different sides of him as Marinette. And she could allow herself to act differently around him, since she wasn’t Ladybug. It was only when he really got on her nerves that she reverted back to her previous attitude. 

However, he looked almost as if he’d expected such an answer from her. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes. She felt like a cornered animal all of a sudden.

And then he smirked and said,

“So you know how you’re supposedly in love with me?”

Oh, that. She’d actually forgotten about that. After all, they’d agreed that since he obviously was in love with Ladybug and not her (not knowing they were the same person), they would remain friends. And her confession had actually slipped her mind. Which was strange, considering the fact that it had happened at this very place. It was actually the last time they’d been there together. 

She returned to the present, wondering what was “supposedly” supposed to mean coming from him? He’d been there, he’d heard her say she was in love with him. Was there any doubt? Strange.

“Yes, I’m aware. Your point?” she said finally, trying to keep her voice calm, polite. Not revealing that she had no idea what was happening and where this was going.

“Well, a kiss wouldn’t be a problem then, right?” he said, smile unwavering, as he tapped a claw on his right cheek in invitation.

Oh. Marinette tried not to blush, realising that she’d once again been too hasty in her assumptions. He didn’t want a real kiss. Just a friendly one on the cheek. Of course. This made so much more sense, right? And there was no way for her to get out of this without admitting that she’d lied about her feelings.

She smiled at him, trying to diffuse the tension she felt in the air. Was this of her own making? Or was she imagining it? 

“Of course, Chat. I don’t know what got into me. You’re getting your kiss,” she said. 

He tapped his cheek once again, smiling in anticipation.

She took a small calming breath and took a step forward, wondering how she’d gotten herself in such a situation.

*

They’d just finished fighting the latest akuma victim. It had been relatively easy. Her Lucky Charm hadn’t taken long to figure out. Chat didn’t even have to use his Cataclysm. And then it was over. 

She’d hid in an alley to detransform. Once this was done, she was about to walk home when she almost jumped out of her skin hearing a familiar voice.

“Need a lift home?” 

She whirled around and stared in shock at her smiling partner. What was he doing there? Most importantly, how long had he been there? 

“Chat… I… “ she started but couldn’t think of anything to say. Her thoughts were racing. What was happening? And was he wondering why she was out so late? So near the fight as well.

“You’re far from home and it’s getting late. You shouldn’t take walks on your own in the dark. I can drop you off. I have some time,” he said. Innocently. He seemed perfectly friendly. And he was right. She had quite a walk ahead of her, but she’d been running out of time and couldn’t go home as Ladybug. 

It wasn’t so surprising that he was offering her to take her home after all. He was kind and helpful like that. Maybe it didn’t seem so strange to him that she was there. She was trying to convince herself. But there was also something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. A strange look in his eyes. As if he was up to mischief. Not good. 

But she had to play along. There was no reason to act any other way. 

“How thoughtful of you,” she said. “That would be great.” 

And before she knew it, he was at her side, taking her into his arms. Her own wrapped around him, driven by an instinct buried deep inside of her. 

“Hold on tight,” he warned, always thinking about her, always caring. And they were off.

This wasn’t the first time he was carrying her like that. So she relaxed into him, closing her eyes, her head on his shoulder.

But this time she found herself distracted by how warm he was. And how pleasantly he smelled. And how his hair tickled her cheek. And was she imagining things or was he holding her a bit tighter, as if he wanted her to be as close as possible? 

She hadn’t felt like that in a long time. What was it about being in his arms that made her feel so… peaceful. Well, she trusted him after all. But she wasn’t feeling just comfortable and safe. No, there was also something else. She’d actually missed being held by him, it hit her. And now it felt like coming home. 

She was jolted out of her thoughts as he dropped her lightly to her feet, saying softly in her ear,   
“You’re home.” Almost like he was reading her thoughts. 

She took a hesitant step away from him. What was happening with her? And then she just stood there, expecting him to turn around and jump off into the night, bidding her good night. 

But no. That was when he’d asked for that kiss. Catching her completely off guard, as unstable as she felt. And her reaction was probably due to the fact that she was so confused. And wanted to cover it up. 

*

As she took that step back towards him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, her last thought was that she wouldn’t actually mind kissing him that much. 

A mere second before her lips touched his cheek, though, he turned his head slightly and she ended up kissing his lips.

Her eyes widened in shock at first and then closed on their own accord. She felt as if the ground disappeared under her legs. She would have fallen if not for the strong arms suddenly holding her in place. 

He kissed her slowly, as if luxuriating in the feeling of their lips moving in synch. Warmth spread through her body. She tried to hold onto something, her hands finding the smooth leather of his suit on his shoulders.

It was sweet, so sweet, but before long he pulled back. Looking ridiculously pleased with himself. Well, a little in a daze too. But mainly pleased. 

“This wasn’t so bad, right, m’lady?” He whispered. Still close, still holding her in his arms. 

She couldn’t react at first. She’d once again forgotten that she was Marinette, not Ladybug. Hell, after that kiss she’d basically forgotten her name. And then realisation came crashing down on her. 

“How?” was all she could get out of her mouth. Was there any point in denying? He seemed pretty sure in his assumption. 

“I’m sorry,” he said and he looked like he meant it. “I accidentally saw you detransform Couldn’t turn around fast enough. And then… Well, what can I say? I saw an opportunity and took it.”

“So you decided to test me?” This was what he’d been doing. She’d fallen into his trap. She’d known she had to play along or she’d reveal herself, not knowing he already knew. This was for some reason very funny. 

“Yes,” he said sheepishly. He looked totally adorable, questioning his actions all of a sudden.

“Did I pass?” she asked cheekily. She felt surprisingly calm. This kiss had been unexpected but just like his much needed closeness earlier, it was something she’d wanted without realising it. So it wasn’t so bad. And there would be time to worry about everything else later.

He smiled warmly at her.

“With flying colours,” he said, before leaning in for another kiss. 


	3. No, And That's Final - BugNoire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lady Noire finds she's not immune to Mr. Bug's charm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a big fan of Mr. Bug, if you don't know that yet. So I love making Marinette suffer, trying in vain to resist him. I mean, could you if you were in her place?  
As usual, enjoy!

“We should totally do this again sometime,” Chat, er, Mr. Bug said as they were running away once the fight was over. 

“No, and that’s final,” Marinette said. They’d been over this already. She couldn’t believe that they’d somehow ended up with swapped Miraculouses again. As if once hadn’t been enough.

Now he wanted them to do it on purpose. Why would they do that? They were perfectly fine with their own kwamis. More used to their powers. Just being themselves. 

His argument had been that they’d confuse the enemy this way. She had to admit that this had some merit. Because Hawk Moth and everyone else were used to Ladybug and Chat Noir. But when Mr. Bug and Lady Noire were there, chaos ensued. 

Part of this was due to the fact that the first time this had happened, they’d been at a loss what to do. Or maybe not exactly. Both of them had actually thought that they knew what they were doing, that they were the brain of this operation. And they’d both been wrong. 

Marinette had to admit that this time had been better. She was still sorry that she’d once again decided to take off her earrings because of a trivial thing like trying out her own designs. They’d decided to do another photoshoot after the previous had been cut short by the akuma attack. And this time Juleka was fine, but couldn’t make it, so she’d been forced to model, along with Adrien. Not surprisingly, again Alya’s idea. 

And here they were again. They weren’t fighting Reflekdoll, but their kwamis had still ended up with the wrong person. She still didn’t know how this had happened. She didn’t really think that Tikki would do this on purpose. As for Plagg? Nothing would surprise her. She’d need to get to the bottom of it later. Now she had more pressing matters to take care of. Like convincing her partner that doing this again was not a good idea.

He was right about them being able to use confusion to their aid. The new villain clearly didn’t expect to see anyone other than Ladybug and Chat Noir, so he’d been slow to react, even with Hawk Moth’s guidance. 

And they did better this time. They’d known what to expect, for one. They had been more careful with using the other one’s powers. And early on they’d decided to come up with a plan together. It had worked surprisingly well. Better than them trying to one up each other and to prove who was better. 

It was still hard for her to relinquish control, to accept that she was no longer the one everything depended on. But it was also a relief, to take a step back, to let Mr. Bug be in the limelight. He had admitted that it was hard having her responsibilities, but apart from that he did surprisingly well as the centre of attention. Like he was used to people’s eyes being drawn to him.

However, there was this minor detail that Marinette was rather uncomfortable with. The previous time they’d been surprised and distracted, having to act quickly. And she hadn’t paid much attention to her partner. This time though, much to her distress, she found herself constantly stealing glances at Mr. Bug. 

Ok, would it do any harm for her to admit that he looked incredibly good in that suit? There was no way around that. It was just the truth. She’d tried to convince herself that she was appreciating the finer points of his suit for designer purposes. But that wasn’t all of it. He just looked good. Hot, whispered a tiny voice at the back of her head, but she shushed it. 

She also found herself drawn to her partner’s bright green eyes. She was so used to the cat-like eyes he usually had, in combination with his cat suit, that it was really strange to see them like that. This made it even harder to make herself think “This is just Chat, stop acting silly!” 

The truth was that she was afraid of her newfound attraction to her partner. She relied too much on her ability to distance herself from their personal relationship when they were fighting a villain. She needed to do it in order to do her job well. And since they rarely had much time together before or after a battle, this also helped her avoid said personal relationship at all. She needed to do it. Because she was thawing, she was afraid. Not that her heart was made of ice or anything, but she’d pretended it was when it came to Chat. Because allowing any weakness meant that she’d fall hard, too fast for her to control. And it was already happening without her consent, it seemed. And this suit didn’t help matters in the least.

Marinette shook her head, trying to clear it. This was not the time or place to think about that.

Mr. Bug had taken advantage of her distracted state and was suddenly too close to her on the roof they’d stopped on to catch their breath before separating. 

“Wh-what are you doing?” she managed to get out. He was not good for her composure! 

“Something is troubling you, I can sense it. And I have a nagging feeling that it’s something to do with me. So tell me. It would be better than pretending it’s not there and the problem persisting.” 

The way he said that. All calm and measured tone. Like it actually made sense. No teasing, no smirking. It was really disarming. And so she really said it.

“I find you too distracting in this suit.” 

She immediately wanted to take it back. To run far, far away and bury herself under a fortress of blankets. To hide from him and from herself. But it was too late.

At first there was no reaction. He was probably stunned. Not surprising. And then a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. And it quickly turned into a grin. He looked so proud of himself. And so adorable, that treacherous voice added. 

“So you like me more this way. Than when I’m Chat?” he teased her, somehow getting even closer to her while doing so. Any closer and they’d end up in a heap on the roof. Not a bad thought. Damn! 

“Maybe?” she mumbled, looking away, cheeks burning. She was a mess! 

“How about if I do this?” he said and raised a hand to her cheek. Cupping it. Caressing it with his thumb. Drawing her eyes back to his. “Would you let me do it? Mr. Bug, not Chat.”

Marinette gulped. Her legs were shaking. She felt close to fainting. How was that possible? How could he have such an effect on her? 

She held a slight hope that their Miraculouses could beep, signalling their time was running out. So they’d have no other choice but to go their separate ways. But nothing happened. She totally lost count of how many minutes had passed and how many remained. But the lack of beeps was suspicious. There was bound to be at least one. Could Plagg and Tikki really be onto something? She remembered Tikki’s suspicious smile after she got back to her the previous time. She’d now officially met Chat, the person that was Chat, and she was strangely smug. Marinette would never ask, she couldn’t allow curiosity to cloud her judgement. She didn’t want to know who Chat was. Right?

And here she was now. She couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t move. Or get out of his way when he leaned in. Or stop him when he brushed her lips with his. Where had that moan come from? It wasn’t from her, surely. But it was. And then his lips closed on hers and she felt the ice cage around her heart shatter. He was no longer kept outside. He was in her heart now and probably in no hurry to leave. 

When he pulled back, looking a bit unsure, she sighed. There was no going back. 

“I think that I’ll find your equally distracting as Chat too from now on,” she said. 

He smiled, tentatively at first. And then a happy smile, so wide it blinded her. She laughed as he pulled her in for a tight hug and actually swept her off her feet, spinning around with her in his arms.

“I’m buying Tikki all the macarons in Paris,” he said when he put her back down. 

She totally agreed with this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find the idea that Tikki and Plagg may actually decide to play such a prank on these two hilarious, don't you? 😁


	4. Can You Stay? - Ladrien

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien can't bear to see Ladybug go. The ensuing conversation leaves him questioning something quite important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit that I didn't really understand the appeal of Ladrien before Desperada. (well, they are cute, as usual, but nothing apart from that) But that episode was filled with so much longing that it kind of changed my mind. And I think Adrien is in urgent need of a hug.   
As for you, enjoy!

Adrien was transfixed by the thousands of small magic ladybugs sweeping Paris, restoring order, bringing everything back to the way it had been. He’d seen it hundreds of times and it still amazed him. And it was somehow different, seeing it as an outsider, just another passerby. 

He’d had to leave early, because his time was running out. And once the akuma was captured, there was nothing he was needed for. So he’d left Ladybug to cast her Miraculous Ladybug spell, retreating to a secluded spot to transform. But something had still drawn him back to the place where they’d fought Hawk Moth’s latest victim. 

As he stood there, he caught sight of Ladybug on the rooftop where he’d left her earlier. She was probably going home. There was quite a distance between them, but as if she was drawn to him by some invisible force, she turned around, looked downward and her eyes locked with his. In the next moment, she was throwing her yoyo and swinging down right towards the place where he stood. 

As her feet hit the ground, she smiled at him. A warm, radiant smile. Something he didn’t see on her face very often. As if she was really happy to see him. 

“Adrien, what are you doing here?”

Shoot. He hadn’t thought that far ahead and had no excuse ready. What was he doing there? Right after the fight was over, the crowd already dispersing. It was the middle of the afternoon so he really had no reason for being in that part of the city, watching the superheroes fight. What was a plausible excuse, anything for him not to look like some crazy stalker?

“I heard about the fight and happened to be close by, on my way home. So I thought I’d drop by, see that you were alright.”

Well, as excuses go this wasn’t so bad. Apart from the fact that it made no sense for him to check up on her. It was none of his business how she was, right? It wasn’t a lie, though, because he found himself more and more worried about her lately. He wanted to be by her side at all times and it troubled him that he couldn’t. That time with the Snake Miraculous had messed him up a bit, he had to admit. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to find his explanation so strange because she smiled even wider at him, blue eyes sparkling. 

“How thoughtful of you! Everything is fine. But shouldn’t you be home already? Wouldn’t they worry about you?” As she said that, a light blush covered her cheeks. The most appealing thing, he thought. It was as if she was suddenly embarrassed, caught saying something she wasn’t supposed to. There was no way for her to know when he was due home, what his schedule was, after all. And still, she was totally right, he realised with a start. He’d totally lost track of time and he was now officially late for his Chinese lesson. And his absence would most certainly be noticed. He’d come here straight from school and now he had to get home really quickly unless he wanted to get in trouble. Again. 

She must have sensed his alarm, because she smiled again and said shyly,

“I can take you home, if you want to. I have a few minutes left and it’ll be very quick.”

This much was true, because she’d used her Lucky Charm pretty quickly, right at the end of the fight. 

He also really needed to get home so it made sense to say yes. The fact that he was grateful for any minute spent in her company was just an added bonus. 

“That would be great, if it’s not too much to ask,” he said politely. Trying to hide his giddiness at the thought.

“It would be absolutely no trouble,” she said, already throwing her yoyo with practiced ease, drawing him close with one arm. He couldn’t stop himself from looking down at her with adoration. It seemed like she had some difficulty drawing her gaze away from his, but she shook her head and they were on the move. 

Unfortunately, she did good on her promise and they were in his room almost before he could blink twice. Once they were safely inside, she let go of him, much to his regret. He realised that he didn’t want to see her go. He was selfish, he knew, because she was probably in a hurry to get back to her day as well. And she only had no more than two minutes left. But he still said,

“Can you stay?” His voice was pleading. The hope in it evident. 

The request startled her. And then her eyes softened and she turned back around. 

“Is something bothering you?” she asked hesitantly. She obviously thought that he had something to tell her. How could it cross her mind that he just craved having her close to him that much?

“I’m sorry, I know I shouldn't take your time,” he started, shame colouring his voice now. He was really acting strange now. 

“No, no,” she quickly reassured him, taking a step closer to him. Searching his eyes. “I can feel your unease. You can tell me.”

“Well, I’ve been a bit worried about you since that time you gave me the Snake Miraculous. It really hurt me, seeing you get caught so many times, because of me. Now I have this ludicrous idea that something bad is going to happen to you just when I’m not near. Come to think of it, you would be much better without me, but…” he trailed off. 

While this was not the real reason for his neediness, it was not a lie too. But he couldn’t exactly reveal that he felt kind of restless every time he thought about not getting there on time or doing the wrong thing as Chat. The unfortunate time he’d spent as Aspik was really eating away at him, gradually destroying his confidence as Chat too. 

Her reaction to his statement was instantaneous. She was right in front of him in a blink of an eye, looking stern and determined. She even cupped his cheek with a gloved hand, not allowing him to look away. And then she said,

“What makes you say something like that?”

“Well, I failed you, Ladybug. You chose me and I did nothing but hinder you and see you get taken by Desperada again and again,” he said, all the emotions he’d tried so hard to bury deep into his mind, bubbling up to the surface. He felt the humiliation, the despair, the sorrow all over again. 

“Of course you didn’t fail me! You saved me so many times! I may not remember it, but you were so brave and determined to go back there after each time you lost me. Maybe it wasn’t the right moment. Or this wasn’t the right Miraculous for you…” she said, trailing off. 

Yes, he knew perfectly well which was the Miraculous for him. He already had it. But while he’d always been so certain that he was the right choice to be Chat Noir, he’d started questioning this too lately. 

Ladybug was thinking of something else though, speaking again.

“I don’t really know why you did it. Why you cared so much. After all, I’m nobody to you. I asked for your help, but you didn’t owe me anything. And still ended up giving so much of yourself, trying to save me.”

“I couldn’t give anything but my best and it still wasn’t enough. I’d do anything for you, you should know that,” he said, too late realising that it was perfectly fine for him to say something so intense as Chat, but not as Adrien. After all, she had no way of knowing he was in love with her. And he shouldn’t make it that obvious anyway.

“Adrien,” she whispered. “I don’t know what happened during our time together, I can’t possibly remember, but I have this very strange feeling that something very crucial must have taken place. I never intended to ask you, not wanting to remind you and make negative associations resurface. But you’d tell me if it was too much, right? I want to help you.”

His mind surely loved torturing him because it again reminded him of his ill-timed confession. He’d wasted a whole Second Chance telling her that he’s Chat Noir and he’d always been in love with her. He knew it wasn’t the right time or place for it and still he’d done it. He was that desperate to tell her sometimes. He’d also done it in the hope that he’d catch a glimpse of her reaction, knowing she’d forget it. But it had happened too fast, Desperada taking her, again. 

She couldn’t know about that. But it was strange what her intuition was telling her. 

“Nothing too important, I assure you,” he said, lying because he had to. Although it left a bitter taste in his mouth. “It was just really sad to see that I couldn’t do anything to help you. That your faith in me was so misplaced. I still don’t know why you chose me for that mission. I’m obviously not worthy of you trust.”

“But you are! You’re brave and never hesitate in the face of danger, even without superpowers to help you and protect you. You were a logical choice. And like I said, I still have faith in you. Maybe it was my mistake that I chose you in that particular situation. But never doubt your worth, do you hear me?” she said earnestly. 

He could only nod, surprised by the heat in her voice. 

“You don’t know how much you mean to me, Adrien,” she added, her voice heavy with a feeling he couldn’t identify. Regret that she couldn’t say more? Shame that she’d said that much? Whatever it was, it was obviously oppressive. Before he could say anything in response, he saw a determined look in her eyes and she moved as if to kiss his cheek again. At least, this was what he expected. But to his surprise, her lips touched his. Briefly. Too quickly for him to react in any way. But the touch lingered even as she pulled back. 

He could only stare at her as she turned her back to him, her Miraculous giving that last warning beep. Her whispered “I’m sorry, I have to go” was almost lost in the wind as she jumped out of his window, leaving him alone. 

He felt his knees give out just as he managed to locate his chair, falling into it. He couldn’t believe this had actually happened. She’d kissed him. On the lips. Not a friendly, thankful kiss on the cheek like last time. 

He thought back to his time as Aspik again, this time focusing on all those heartfelt moments that were his guilty pleasure. He remembered how she’d looked at him, adoration in her eyes. He remembered how she’d snuggled up to him while they were hiding from Desperada. He remembered her admiration and unwavering faith. That kiss at the end, after he’d admitted defeat. That memory in particular stung a bit, because he’d saved her so many times as Chat and she’d never been so effusive in her gratitude. 

A highly unbelievable idea formed in his mind. It was outrageous and still rang so true all of a sudden. Could he be the mysterious guy Ladybug was in love with?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, how could he be so blind not to see how she acted around him?! Grrr!


	5. There is a certain taste to it - Marichat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweets + kisses = sweet kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not good at describing in detail recipes and I really didn't dig around enough for this, so I hope you're not here for cooking lessons and complicated creations. I was aiming at a simple, sweet and light read. I hope you enjoy it!

Marinette had no idea how she found herself on her balcony, doing a degustation with Chat Noir of all people. Well, that kitty loved eating, that much was true. She still remembered thinking he’d come to their bakery just for the macarons that one time he got invited as her supposed boyfriend. 

And she loved experimenting with different tastes. But since she couldn’t be a judge of her own creations and Tikki usually preferred just macarons, she needed someone else to test her latest creations. 

Now, about how Chat had ended up as the one helping her, she still wasn’t sure. Maybe it had been her fault for telling him he could visit her whenever he liked. And on that particular day, as she’d waited for the latest batch of cookies to be ready, she’d heard a tentative tap on her skylight. Confused, she’d gone up, opening it to find the suddenly shy face of her partner. Chat and shyness didn’t usually mix. So she was surprised, to say the least, not only to find him there but by his attitude.

“Chat! What are you doing here?” she’d asked, really confused. Was there something she’d forgotten? Had she invited him and then it’d slipped her mind? Or worse, was there any danger nearby that she wasn’t aware of? Did she need to transform too? How was she going to get rid of him to do that?

“Um.. I was just passing by and was tempted by the wonderful smells wafting from your kitchen,” he admitted sheepishly. 

Oh, it was as simple as that. It didn’t take long for her to realise how fortuitous this was. He loved sweets, she needed someone to test hers and he was already here!

“Do you want to stay and try some of the cookies and sweets I’ve made?” She asked him, smiling widely. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he tasted the delicious treats she’d made! 

His face lit up at the invitation too. He’d probably hoped to be invited anyway, but her readiness to do it obviously made him happy. 

“How could I resist such an invitation?” he said as if he was talking about a royal visit or something not an impromptu picnic on her balcony.

“I need you to be serious if you want to stay, kitty,” Marinette chided him. “I need honest feedback.”

“Don’t doubt my seriousness for a minute. I’m all business.” And he looked so serious all of a sudden that she laughed. 

“I’ll be back in a minute,” she told him.

She shook her head as she got down into her room and into the kitchen, busying herself with preparing sample portions of the cookies and small pastries she’d been making that afternoon. 

Pretty soon she was back on her bed, looking through her skylight, glad to see him waiting for her and grateful to him for taking the full plates from her hands so she could get outside. 

The sun was warm on her face as she settled in the deck chair Chat had saved for her. He chose to sit crossed-legged on the ground, next to the table. He was already sniffing the treats placed there. 

“Come on, pick your poison,” Marinette urged him.

After carefully taking stock of what was in the plate, his first choice was a small dark cookie. Marinette was confused for a second because she couldn’t remember what she’d put in it. She didn’t have a habit of writing down recipes and usually used whatever ingredients she found in the kitchen. 

Before she could say a thing, Chat had gobbled up the whole thing, his enthusiasm evident. 

She found this particularly endearing and had to stop herself from reaching over to pat him. She watched him chewing, thoughtfully. And then she caught a face he made for less than a second before schooling his expression into a more neutral one. 

“What is it?” she pounced on him. She’d totally seen that and wouldn’t let it go. She’d asked for an honest reaction after all. 

“Um… “ he mumbled, clearly hesitating. “There is a certain taste to it,” he admitted finally. 

“What do you mean?” She felt indignant and probably looked the part too. She was certain there was nothing wrong with the cookie. 

“Here, give it a try,” he said, holding out the same type of cookie for her to taste. She was a bit taken aback by the intimacy of the gesture. But then she thought “This is just Chat!” and went for it. Taking a dainty bite out of the cookie, not eating it whole like him, she chewed carefully. Letting the flavours into her mouth. It was sweet and buttery and… She felt herself making a face. There really was a strange taste!

She looked at the offending cookie still in Chat’s hand. Paw. Whatever. He was watching her expectantly. 

“You’re right. I don’t know what’s this though. I must have put in the wrong ingredient or something.”

“Nevermind. It’s not that bad. Just strange. I can still eat a whole bunch of them,” he said, making a great show of taking another one and chewing enthusiastically. She couldn’t help but laugh.

“Stop it, silly kitty! You don’t have to eat the rest. Here, try this. I guarantee it’s perfect.”

She held up a small coconut ball, mirroring his earlier movement. He leaned in without hesitation, taking the small ball in his mouth, while maintaining eye contact. Marinette gulped, feeling warmth creep up her face. What was wrong with her? He was just eating. Well, out of her hand. But still. 

She was satisfied to see that his reaction to this one was very different. He closed his eyes while chewing, clearly enjoying the taste. When he was done, he sighed contentedly. 

“This was delicious,” he said slowly, as if waking from a dream.

She beamed at him. This was more like it. 

“Wait till you try this then,” she said more boldly. Already a round cookie dusted with powdered sugar in her hand. He took a bite (this one was a bit too big even for him to eat in one go). Was it his lips she felt on her fingers, Marinette thought and almost blushed again. 

He chewed, eyes again closed in concentration and content.    
That’s when Marinette’s eyes were drawn to the powdered sugar on his upper lip. She couldn’t look away even if she tried to. She wanted him to lick it off, but was also afraid what this move would make her feel. He was eating, for goodness sake! Why was she getting this flustered all of a sudden?

She should just wipe it away, she decided. Her arm stretched towards him, her thumb gently wiping the white powder from his mouth. When his eyes shot open and she froze. Her thumb still on his lips. 

“I… You have some powdered sugar and I wanted to... “ she said. Started saying but then gave up. She tried to remove her finger then, but Chat’s hand shot up and caught her wrist. 

“I can think of a better way for you to do that,” he said against her thumb. It was as if electricity shot up her hand and her arm straight to her heart as she felt his lips move. God.

And then in a lightning fast movement, he’d dragged her down from the chair and she was on her knees next to him. He took her face in his hand. Paw. Whatever. And then his lips were on hers. She saw it coming. She could’ve totally done something to stop him, if she’d wanted to. But there was this hunger inside of her that she couldn’t hide from anymore. She wanted this. 

So she wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss. It was powdered sugar and warm sun. Friendly teasing and hunger for more. Cookies and a surprising guest. It was sweet and not enough.

So one kiss turned into two and three. And soon they lost count. The sweets long forgotten on the table. They would get back to them later, once they’d sated their hunger for one another. 


	6. Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me - Adrienette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien has a kind of PTSD after Weredad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's embarrassing. This challenge keeps unveiling new things to me. This time it was that I can't write pre-reveal Adrienette. For some reason, this one ended up more like Marichat in disguise. I'm sorry. I still hope you like it!

She really didn’t know what it was about her and Adrien always being so close to akuma attacks. Always getting caught in them. On the one hand, she had to come up with an excuse why she wasn’t running away from it. On the other, she had to look very hard to find a place to hide and transform without raising suspicion. An added bonus was that she had to worry about him being safe and away from danger too. 

Here they were again. Near the Eiffel Tower (this villain was such a cliche about it). And they’d ended up separated from the others. Just the two of them. And she had to come up with something pretty fast. Because she needed to transform and go fight that villain. Also, where the hell was Chat?

“Ok, so you go hide in there and I’ll make sure to get the villain away from you,” Adrien was saying. She snapped back to the present.

“What? No! You don’t have to put yourself in danger for me. You can go hide and I’ll find a place once I see that the villain is busy somewhere else,” she said, not realising for a second that she sounded just like Ladybug. Well, she took his safety pretty seriously. 

The trouble was that he seemed equally intent on making her hide and wait out the fight in a safe place. How was she going to convince him and get away from him? What was interesting was how neither of them had offered that they hide together. She obviously had a good reason for this but what was his?

“Why do you need to leave me anyway?” she asked before she could stop herself. Great. SHe was making this worse.

He looked at her wide-eyed for a second. Like he couldn't believe what she was saying.

“I need to make sure you’re safe. And for that I need to take him away from you.” he said finally. Matter-of-fact.

“Since when are you my designated protector or something?” she said. Well, it felt good to see he cared about her that much. But she really didn’t like the idea of him getting caught in the crossfire because of her. He shouldn’t risk his life for her. Chat doing that constantly was enough weight on her conscience. 

“I’ve always been,” he said, so simply like it made sense. And then saw her confused expression and backtracked. He’d obviously said something he shouldn’t have.

“Um. Listen, I can’t explain it. You’ll have to trust me.” Yeah, that made so much more sense.

But before they could continue the conversation, the villain caught up with them. And they had to run for real this time, getting separated finally. 

Marinette ran for cover, to find a place to transform. But then the villain decided to take interest in her of all people. Which was bad, really bad. She tried to dodge him, but he was really fast. The next thing she knew, she was in the giant paws of the monster (what was this akuma anyway? A giant teddy bear? Angry at someone who refused his plushy present?)

She panicked for a moment, but then, finally, Chat was there. And he distracted the villain like he always did, but this time also helped saving Ladybug without realising it. Once she was not interesting for the villain any more, he dropped her on the ground and she ran. 

Thankfully, there had been no more hitches. She’d transformed and joined Chat, who looked relieved to see her. And from there, it had been surprisingly easy to get this over with. In a matter of minutes, the villain was gone, a normal, confused person in his place. They took care of him and were on their way. 

In Marinette’s case, this involved making a show of going away, only to circle back to detransform in an alley and then run out to find her friends.

She was started by someone behind her wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. 

“That was stupid. And scary. I tried so hard to keep you safe and you ended up in that monster’s paws!” Adrien’s voice in her ear was breathless, panicked. As if he’d been looking for her frantically.

She turned around and was amazed by how scared he looked. Where had he been all this time? What did he see to say this? Granted, she’d been busy trying to get away from that bear to notice if he was still nearby then. But the one person she knew for a fact had seen her caught was Chat. How did Adrien know then?

“How-” she started, but was cut off by Adrien crushing her in a tight hug.

“I was so worried about you. One second more and I could’ve been too late.”

She had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. But made a mental note to ask more about this later. First order of business now was to assure him she was fine. 

“It’s ok, Adrien. I’m fine. No need to worry about me.”

“But I always worry about you, Marinette,” he mumbled, his face hidden in her hair. This felt nice. She’d been too confused to pay attention until now. The way he was holding her. 

“You shouldn’t. I can take care of myself,” she said, absent-mindedly, while still enjoying very much this unexpected development. She knew he cared about her, but he’d never been so open in his affection before. 

“I won’t be able to live with myself if I allowed something bad to happen to you,” he said in a small voice. But he was still not looking at her.

With surprising boldness, she moved her hands to his cheeks and slowly turned his head so he could look at her. He had his eyes closed, though, still lost in his nightmare of losing her, it seemed. 

“Adrien, it’s ok. Ladybug and Chat Noir are always here to save us anyway, you know.” Well, she tried her best to save herself. And Chat, yes, Chat always made sure she was safe too. He cared about Marinette too. Come to think of it, he always acted like he’s my personal savior or something. Always so worried about me. Very much like Adrien, she concluded in her head. 

“What if they are not? Ladybug was not here when you got caught. And Chat Noir could have been late and… “

“Well, he wasn’t. And you couldn’t have done much even if you’d tried that. No offence, but you were no match for that giant teddy bear.”

“Stay away next time, promise me!” he said pleadingly. 

She couldn’t really promise that. She needed to be close to danger, More than he realised. But she wanted him to calm down. To feel better.

“I will,” she whispered. Touched by his concern. By how much he cared about her. And how he was still holding her. And she was holding him too. Oh my… 

Before she could freak out, Adrien decided to do something even stranger. Because he’d been acting strange so far. But this was nothing compared to him suddenly leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her lips. She was stunned. Judging by his wide-eyed look when he pulled back, he was too.

“I.. I’m sorry. I just… “ he obviously didn’t know how to finish that. But she understood, in a way. He had been worried. And was happy that she was fine. In the overexcitement of the moment, he’d acted before thinking. Acting on impulse. Why this impulse had been to kiss her of all things, she didn’t know. But she’d try to act normally. Not freak him out further.

“It’s ok. No harm done.” she smiled at him. 

And he visibly relaxed. Without saying anything more, he hugged her again. And she let him hold her. Relishing the feeling. How sweet to have two boys so bent on protecting her, she thought. For a second wishing she could comfort Chat this way too. 


	7. It's Not Always Like This - BugNoire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An I-need-to-learn-to-use-your-power training session ends up in an unexpected way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually really happy with this one! I'd never before thought about their powers in such detail, of course everything I say here comes from my imagination!   
As usual, enjoy!  
(It's already Saturday for me, so it's a new day and a new prompt. And anyway, enjoy the new episode as well!)

Marinette still couldn’t believe that she’d agreed to that. But he’d asked, politely, and his reasoning behind that idea, once he’d explained it to her, actually made sense. 

So there they were, LadyNoire and Mr. Bug once again. This time facing no scary villain but themselves and their respective powers. Mr. Bug had reasonably suggested that in case they ended up with each other’s Miraculous again, it would be a good idea to be better prepared than last time. 

They’d arranged to meet at a certain place, each of them being close by before that so that their kwamis could find the other one quickly. The kwamis themselves had been on board with the idea. And Tikki had actually seemed happy before she left her owner. If Marinette was curious, she could have asked her about her excitement to meet Plagg’s owner again, if he was really that nice. But she wasn’t, she kept telling herself.

Now they were making turns using each other’s powers. Obviously, for her to use Cataclysm outside a regular fight was no problem. But it was a bit tricky for him to call on a Lucky Charm and then decide what to do with it when there was no real threat that required its use. Still, they had to try.

She was first. No surprise there. He was a gentleman after all. 

Last time, she’d had no trouble using Cataclysm on Reflekdoll. It was large and she could’ve hit it anywhere and got the same result. However, this hadn’t helped her much because she’d had no way to know in advance that it wouldn’t actually destroy it but make it act chaotically and completely out of control. Lesson learned about using Cataclysm on sentimonsters. Now she had to try on something much smaller and learn how to discharge just the right dose of power to get the desired result. 

“You might think that you have enough time to assess your target, focus on the amount of power you need, get ready to use it. But it’s not always like this. In some cases, you have to act real quick. To rely on your instinct and very often luck. But you always have control over how much damage you cause. You just have to keep that in mind.”

As she listened to him talk, she couldn’t help but think that he’d make a great teacher. He knew what to explain, could anticipate her questions even before she’d thought of them, and he made it very easy to understand. He was also very patient.

She had hesitated for quite some time as she looked at her target. It was a small pendant on a length of leather cord. They’d decided she’d try her luck on a moving target next time. Better to start with something easier. But it turned out easy was a relative term in this case.

“It’s small, doesn’t move and it’s right where you want it. It seems easy, but you still need to be very careful. Because if you don’t use just the right dose of destructive power, you might end up opening a crater under your feet. If the object is too small to absorb the power you’re using on it, it bleeds into the surrounding objects.”

Wow. Here she was thinking that he didn’t really have to think too much in his line of work. And he was proving her wrong. Being Chat Noir, or Lady Noire, wasn’t just about using physical strength and relying on your power in times of need. It was about being good enough, experienced enough to do it right. Or live with the consequences. Which could be dire sometimes, she thought and shivered. Marinette had never really imagined Chat doing some training on the side, but hearing him speak so eloquently on the subject, she realised he must have put some serious time and effort into being as good as he was. He was right that he just made it look easy. She’d never underestimate him again.

She returned to the task at hand. Focusing her mind, imagining how little energy was needed to destroy something so small. And then she called on her Cataclysm and reached toward the pendant before she could chicken out. She touched it with just a fingertip. And it disintegrated. 

She sighed in relief. First attempt, successful. They’d put the pendant on a bench, deciding that if anything went wrong, a bench wasn’t such a big sacrifice. But she was happy that it was intact, just as intended. 

“Great job! It’s almost like you’re a natural at this,” he said, beaming at her. Add supportive and encouraging to his resume. But she already knew that. She couldn’t help smiling back at him.

“Your turn, Bugaboy,” she teased him. It really felt easier to joke around when she was Lady Noire. She really didn’t know why that was the case. 

They’d decided that they’d need to put him in an artificially dangerous situation so that he could get a Lucky Charm that would supposedly help him get out of it. Choosing a high place he couldn’t get down from on his own seemed like the logical step. Of course, he’d normally be able to use his yoyo to swing off the elevated spot to lower ground. Or he could just jump down. But he tried very hard to think that it wasn’t possible in this very case, to trick his power into helping him. 

He was standing on a very tall and unstable pole on the right bank of the Seine. It was unstable mainly because it wasn’t meant to support a 15-year-old boy’s weight. So he had to be quick. He shouted “Lucky Charm”, this time without actually moving a muscle apart from his outstretched arm with the yoyo, from fear of falling down. And in his hands fell a length of rope. There were two possibilities. He could either tie it to the pole and throw the other end at her so she could tie it to another object and then try rope walking. Or he could look for another high object he could wrap it around and then use it very much like the yoyo to swing himself down. He opted for the second choice. 

Making a loop out of one end of the rope and throwing it towards a nearby lamp post was easy. It also caught on the first try and all that remained was hoping that his Tarzan vine swinging technique would be good enough to deliver him to his destination safely. 

All was going well until the very last moment when he realised he’d overshot the distance he needed to cover and would end up too close to a wall. Like splashed all over it close. Marinette realised this a second early and acted on impulse, throwing herself in his path. He let go of the rope just as he reached her and ended up on top of her. Thanks to their protective suits, he didn’t have to worry about hurting her. But he was still quick to apologise. 

“That was such a beginner’s mistake. I should have taken more careful aim. I’m sorry, m’lady”, he said. Still on top of her. Still very much pinning her to the ground. He either didn’t notice or intentionally didn’t move to give her space. In this case, she believed it was the first. But she noticed.

“It’s ok, no damage done,” she replied, a little breathless. Was it from the exertion or worry? Or she was just affected by his proximity. Her arms had ended up wrapped around his neck when she’d tried to cushion his fall. So now it looked very much like they were having a very private moment in a very public place. She felt her cheeks flush. 

“But you saved my life!” Mr. Bug exclaimed. Always so over the top. She was about to protest, when she felt his lips brush hers. Her eyes widened and she was staring at him in shock as he pulled back, obviously coming to his senses. 

He was up and pulling her next to him in an instant. 

“I’m so sorry! I was high on adrenaline, didn’t think! This was supposed to be a thank you kiss but…” he trailed off, looking away helplessly. There wasn’t much to say, she knew why he’d done it. And didn’t really relish the thought of him saying it out loud. It hurt her probably as much as it did him to hear his declarations of love and every time have to remind him that her affection lay elsewhere. Having to say it again this time, while still feeling the effect of the kiss, however brief it had been, would be torture. 

So she did what she usually did when things got too personal. She deflected their attention to something else. 

“Everything’s fine, don’t worry,” she said, tone not allowing disagreement. “But now our time’s running out. We’d better hurry. Until next time!” she was already turning her back to him as she said that. She didn’t want to see disappointment on his face. She couldn’t take it. And she was off. Away from his feelings for her and her frightening reaction to their quick kiss. 


	8. What If I don't See It? - LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little different reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bonus chapter today! It's day 12 and I'm posting prompt 12, so I'm up to date. (I'll get back to the first 4 prompts once I'm done with the rest, I hope) I'm also feeling a little unsettled after today's episode, so have something light and fluffy! Enjoy!

Ladybug knew she’d practically admitted defeat, but she wasn’t sorry at all. As she stood there, nestled into his warmth, her fingers brushing silken strands of hair, her lips molded to his, she felt anything but regret. Suddenly, all was right in the world. Her decision had been hard to take but with the way she felt after agreeing to give this a chance, she was sure it had been the correct one. 

When they finally came up for air, she felt as if she was slowly drifting down to earth. Was this because she’d finally let go, surrendering to her feelings, after she’d suppressed them for so long? Or was it just how things could have been between them from the very beginning if she hadn’t been so stubborn?

When she opened her eyes, she met Chat’s gaze, brimming with adoration.

“I love you,” he said, wonder colouring his voice. Like he couldn’t believe that he could tell her that and know that he wouldn’t be rebuffed. 

Ladybug felt her eyes fill with tears. Her heart was overflowing with emotions that it had been denied before that moment. The words were there, ready to be spoken. She didn’t want to bite them back.

“I love you too,” she whispered. In awe. It felt so good to finally say it. Admit it out loud. Accept it.    
They stood like that for a while, their foreheads touching, her fingers playing idly with his hair, his claws drawing patterns on her back. 

And then reality came crashing in. 

“Why does this feel so good when I know it will complicate everything?” she said, her worries back in full force. She’d forgotten for a few minutes, but couldn’t avoid thinking about this anymore.

“Why do you say that?” he asked in reply, confusion in his eyes. 

“Don’t you see how this will make things worse, harder?” 

“What if I don’t see it? What is it you’re worried about?”

“Hawk Moth of course! If he somehow catches wind of this, he’s gonna use it against us!” This was her biggest fear. Although it wasn’t the only one. 

“But, m’lady, he’s already been using my feelings for you against us. I admit, I wasn’t really prudent before, being so open about how I feel about you. But after that photo… even if there was no confirmation, he must suspect there is something going on between us.”

She had to agree. That photo showed them what they’d forgotten, but once it became public it could be used against them. Was used, she realised, remembering all the close calls they’d had already. 

“Think about it from another angle, though,” Chat continued. “If we’re together, if I no longer hope and dream of you reciprocating my feelings, because I know it’s actually true, he’ll have no more ammunition against me.”

Her eyes widened as she realised that he was right. He’d no longer fall for fake Ladybugs trying to allure him with kisses while trying to take his Miraculous. Because he’d have her kisses. 

“When did you think of that?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“Um… A while ago. But I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to think that I was pressuring you into something. It wouldn’t have been fair on you.”

He was so thoughtful and sweet, she thought and smiled warmly at him.

“Well, isn’t it good that I finally came to my senses then?” 

His chuckle warmed her heart. It was so good to see him like this. Happy. Free. 

“In order not to let him know that we’re actually together and his cruel traps won’t work anymore, we could just keep this off duty, you know,” he noted. 

“What? You mean when we’re not masked superheroes?”   
“Exactly. What is there to stop us? Don’t you want to know who you’ve been kissing?” he teased her.

And the truth was, she did. She already knew she loved him. She trusted him. But to be able to see him without the mask? To be with him at all times, no hiding necessary? This sounded like pure bliss.

“Aren’t you afraid?” she asked, suddenly shy. 

“No. I think nothing much will change. Apart from the fact that we’ll be able to cover up for each other, help each other in tricky situations and…”

“I get it, I get it,” she stopped him. Of course all this made sense.

She took a deep breath. She could be brave. This was Chat. Nothing to be afraid of.

“How are we doing this?” 

He was a bit taken aback by her sudden readiness to do it in that very moment. But he still said,

“Let’s first find somewhere safe.”

They quickly found a secluded rooftop with direct access to stairs. Once there, they turned towards each other in anticipation. 

“Close your eyes,” Chat said, wrapping his arms around her. She did.

When he spoke next, he could feel his lips move, they were that close to hers.

“Claws in,” he said and there was a bright light behind her eyelids.

“Spots off,” she whispered. And he captured her lips with his. Again. She vaguely thought that the kwamis better leave them alone. Since they weren’t interrupted, they most likely were gone. 

It didn’t feel different. But it was in a way. There was no smooth leather under her fingers when they clutched his shoulders. Instead, the fine fabric of a shirt. When her fingers slipped into his hair again (she totally loved doing that), it was somehow tidier, shorter. 

But the kiss itself was the same. He tasted the same. He was right, nothing much had changed.

Their lips stopped moving simultaneously. Before separating unwillingly. 

Their eyes opened slowly. They looked at each other and stood frozen for a moment. 

Then they burst out laughing. Short bursts of laughter at first, before it escalated to a full-blown belly laugh, with tears streaming down their faces. 

“You’re…” Chat. Adrien said, trying to catch his breath and pointing at her. And then he lost it again. 

She wasn’t doing any better.

“I can’t believe..” she started and then she caught his eye and was laughing again.

Gradually, they calmed down and found themselves leaning on each other for support.

“I’m so glad it’s you,” Adrien said. He looked happy. And relieved. She felt the same way. They’d both expected to welcome a stranger into their lives. Sure, they knew each other pretty well and were already in love. But fitting the person behind the mask into their regular lives was likely to require an effort, explanations, they’d thought. Now, none of this was needed. They already knew each other, were a part of each other’s lives. It would be so much easier than they’d expected. By a real miracle they’d found each other with and without the masks. 

“I told you not much would change,” he said. Her Chat was Adrien. She thrilled as he caressed her cheek. A thumb lightly touching the lips he’d just kissed. Adrien was the guy she’d fallen in love with twice. It couldn’t get any better than that.

“Apart from Marinette and Adrien suddenly becoming a couple.” she said, flushing at her words. “But I think nobody will be that surprised.” 

They both laughed at that. 


	9. I Never Knew It Could Be This Way - Ladybug/Aspik

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new, longer version of that Desperada confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The previous one was very fluffy. This one ended up as a bit angsty. But it's no surprise, since that scene in Desperada left me close to tears. People were talking so much about the other things that happened in the episode. While that scene was all I took from it. It was absolutely heartbreaking.  
And then I saw this wonderful comic by LaurenceL on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/LaurenceL_Art/status/1172925723893538816 ) and I totally fell in love with it.  
So when I saw this prompt, I knew I'd be writing about it. My own version, inspired by it.  
I hope you like it!

Adrien couldn’t get the look he’d seen on Plagg’s face right before he’d put on the Snake Miraculous out of his mind. He’d been trying to tell him “Don’t do it, kid. You’ll regret it.” And still, he hadn’t listened. He’d been too infatuated with Ladybug. Too excited to prove his worth as Adrien in front of her. Too selfish. 

And Plagg still hadn’t left his side. Although he wouldn’t remember it afterwards, he’d been close to Adrien for each of his failed attempts. He’d been trying to tell him “I told you so,” it was true. But still. He’d been there. Never leaving his owner’s side. In spite of Adrien’s betrayal, his selfishness and foolishness. 

He really shouldn’t have taken the Miraculous. What had he been thinking? He was Chat Noir. He helped and saved Ladybug in every way he could. There was no need for him to prove something. And trying to impress her as Adrien? This was stupid and he already knew it. He’d been caught in dangerous situations before because of this. He’d gotten hurt doing foolish things. Yes, he’d been trying to save her, he’d saved her actually, but it didn’t change the fact that what he’d done, the way he’d acted had been foolish. 

He’d thought this time he could do something big. He’d show her that he was worthy of being chosen as a superhero. He’d come up with a great plan to defeat the villain. He’d save her and everyone else and she’d finally see him. As someone special. Stupid, so stupid. 

He hadn’t done any of those things so far. Instead, he’d made so many mistakes. He’d let himself be distracted by the fact that Ladybug knew who he was. He’d tried to impress her as himself but she’d ended up being snached by Desperada every time. He’d even tried a grand romantic gesture one time. What had he been thinking, giving her a rose, in the middle of the street while they were on the run and an open target? 

He then tried to clear his head, to focus on thinking up a strategy, to do the right thing. Then why was he most probably wasting another Second Chance by saying,

“You know, Ladybug, I’m actually also Chat Noir and I’ve been in love with you since our eyes first met.”

He’d hoped to catch a glimpse of her reaction before Desperada took her. However, it didn’t all end when Ladybug looked at him in shock. In the next second, she’d pulled him in an alley, out of Desperada’s view and reach. 

Then she turned to him and said,

“Was what you just said true?” Her eyes were wide and she looked so vulnerable all of a sudden.

“Y-yes,” he stammered. Not so brave anymore, it seemed. 

And then she took him completely by surprise as she stood on tiptoe, her hands cupping his face, and kissed him. It was desperate, rough and over before he could do anything. 

Then she buried her face against his shoulder and he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her. 

“I’m really glad that it’s you, that it was you all along,” she said, her words muffled by his suit.

“I never knew it could be this way,” he mused. “That all I needed to do was tell you who I am.”

Then he realised something. He’d said he was Chat Noir, he’d confessed his feelings for her (in more words than he’d used in the past) and she’d kissed him and told him she was glad it was him. 

“Wait. Does this mean...,” he started but was cut off by her.

“That I’ve been in love with you, Adrien, all this time? Yes,” she mumbled, still not looking at him. 

He thought back to the way she’d acted around him. To the way she’d stumbled over her words a bit, as if embarrassed, shy. How she’d said that they’d make an awesome team. The way she’d laughed at his joke. Hey, she’d laughed at his joke when he made it as Adrien. He could bet that if it was Chat saying it, she’d react in a very different way. 

Her reaction when he’d given her the rose. How she’d taken it, as if it was precious. The way she’d snuggled up to him. She was never this touchy-feely with Chat. The way she’d looked at him, eyes full of adoration and … yes, love. 

And then he thought further back. To every interaction they’d had as Ladybug and Adrien. How she’d always seemed to lose her cool at first, jumbling her words, blushing whenever he was too close. How worried she’d always been about his safety. She was a very caring person and looked out for everyone, but there had always been something extra about him.

It all made sense now. He didn’t really know how he felt. It was all a bit too much to swallow in the middle of a fight. Right. This wasn’t really the time or place for this conversation. They had a much more important job to do. People depended on them. 

And he’d started it all. Because he couldn’t keep it in anymore. He’d needed to tell her. To reveal who he was and how he really felt about her. It had been threatening to burst from him for quite some time now. And he really hadn’t expected that they’d have this conversation. He’d thought she would be taken very quickly, like every other time. The irony. 

He hadn’t said anything for some time, lost in thoughts. And Ladybug seemed to have done some thinking too, because her head shot up suddenly and she looked at him wide-eyed. 

“But you revealed your identity! You know you shouldn’t do that! It’s dangerous.”

He took in her worried expression, the fear in her eyes. Yes, there it was. Another reason why this shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

Adrien leaned in and kissed her. That was all he could take from her. For now. Or maybe forever. He couldn’t possibly ask for more. Even if he knew. Even if it would be even harder from now on. To be so close to her, to know that she loved him too and to still not be able to claim her for himself. 

“You’re right, m’lady,” he said as he pulled back. “This was not the right thing to do. But I’m going to set things right.” 

He looked one last time at her face. Saw the way she looked at him as Chat and Adrien, all of him, not just one or the other, an expression he didn’t expect to see on her face again. And with his hands still behind her back, he reached over to flip the snake’s head to its original position. Resigned, he said, 

“Second Chance”.


	10. I Can't Come Back - Adrienette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A post-reveal talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First. I haven't watched Loveater (or whatever the new name is) and I don't plan to soon. I have 15 more prompts to write and I need my positive energy and thinking to do that. I saw some spoilers and comments and... well, the episode wouldn't be good for my inspiration, I think. So if you need fluffy, happy fics, regardless of whether you've watched the episode or not, this is the place for you, I'll keep writing!  
By some strange coincidence, this fic is about after, about them talking about all the messes with Kagami and Luka. I wrote this several days ago, but it seems kind of fitting for now. It's how I wish things were. A lot simpler.  
I hope you like it!

After the initial shock had faded away and their excitement had died down, they decided to sit down and just talk. No more hiding, no more secrets. It was long overdue anyway. 

They’d ended up on the floor before her chaise lounge, their backs to it. They’d gotten something to eat for their kwamis and some snacks for themselves. 

“So…” Marinette said. She was a bit unsure where to begin. There was so much to talk about. She was sure that it would be years before they could think of every little thing that’d happened here or there, get to the bottom of every misunderstanding or awkward moment. 

“I just want to say one thing,” Adrien said, turning to her with an earnest expression on his face. “I wish I could think of each and every time I’d unintentionally hurt you. I wish you could tell me that I can’t come back here until I remember them all and apologise. Because I really can’t believe I was that blind and oblivious,” he finished, hanging his head in shame.

“Adrien, it’s ok! I don’t hold you accountable for things you did because you didn’t know that I was in love with you. This would be stupid. You’ve always been so kind and sweet about whatever confusing things I’d thrown in your face. Let’s be real, I acted like a lunatic on some occasions. But you never made me feel bad about it. You took it in your stride. So there is nothing to apologise for.”

“But I asked you for advice on what to do about Kagami! Can you believe I did that? I went to the girl who was in love with me to ask her for advice on another girl I supposedly liked. What kind of a heartless monster does that?”

“But you didn’t know! You came to me because you value my advice as a friend. And that’s not a bad thing. I realised it as soon as I overcame the initial shock and hurt of imagining you with another girl. Sorry, sorry!” She said at the painful expression on his face.

“You see, I did hurt you.”

“You didn’t mean to! And while we’re at this, I should apologise for all the times I lied to you to about my feelings,” Marinette said, her turn to look away in embarrassment. “Instead of chickening out, panicking, I should’ve just grabbed the opportunity and confess. But no. I had to go and lie that I was just a fan of yours. I can’t believe you fell for that, actually.”

“But I had no reason to think you’d lie to me! Also, yes, I know fangirls can do crazy stuff like having millions of photos of me and I really didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable about it.”

“You actually gave me the opening I needed! You asked if I lied. You said it not as an accusation but as a joke. So I could’ve taken advantage of it, made it a confession to correspond to the mood. But no, I lied. And that time with the statue thing…”

“Ugh, don’t remind me of this. Not my finest moment, for sure. I must have been possessed or something to think it was a good joke. Even without knowing about your feelings, it was in bad taste, no matter how you look at it. I’m really sorry!”

“You already apologised about that. And it wasn’t my finest moment, too. Can you believe that I thought it was a good idea to confess to a statue? And to kiss it. Like, who in their right mind does that?” she really felt terrible, remembering this. 

“It was endearing and sweet, actually, but I shouldn’t have let it go as far as it did. It wasn’t fair. I just… I don’t know. Panicked. And I guess I didn’t really think you’d kiss me. The statue,” he laughed mirthlessly. 

“And then you told me you were in love with this girl. And I really thought you meant Kagami. It would never in a million years have crossed my mind that you meant Ladybug!” It was still hard for her to believe that. That Adrien was in love with her. For real. 

“Oh yes. I definitely added insult to injury there. And do you know that I actually thought you liked Luka?”

“Really?” 

“Well, there was that one time you confessed to Chat Noir!” he looked at her, wide-eyed, as if just realising what this meant. But he laughed before she could panic. “Although it wasn’t true, as I know now, I believed we’d settled this after I rejected you and then I saw you hanging out with Luka and remembered that you took him to our double date, I thought that you must like him.”

“Well, he’s a great guy and everything. But I guess I never felt this kind of connection with him, you know? Like, I didn’t feel the urge to do stupid things for him,” she said, laughing. “No, seriously. I felt bad because I didn’t want to lead him on. Do you know that he confessed to me when he was akumatised? It was so shocking. And then he said the same thing when he was himself again. I was really confused and didn’t know what to do.”

“That’s funny actually. Not the you being confused part, that must have been bad. But Kagami also kind of confessed to me when she was akumatised. Well, she was telling Chat Noir that Adrien was perfect and the only one she would ever love, but it was me listening. It felt so surreal. And I also felt so guilty for leading her on unintentionally. Because I’d asked her on that date as a very lame attempt to get over Ladybug. And I really like her as a person, we have so many things in common. But I don’t see her as anything more than a friend. For example, I’d never felt the desire to kiss her.”

“That’s really interesting. Next thing you’re going to tell me that you wanted to kiss Marinette before you knew I was Ladybug?” she looked at him, this clearly a challenge.

“Well, remember that time we were making a movie? Wow, that was a long time ago. I totally would’ve kissed you then. I didn’t even for a second view it as some kind of ordeal. And then, with the statue thing again, I didn’t exactly mind that you kissed me, it was more that it happened in the wrong way.”

Wow, talk about a revelation. This was interesting.

“Ha. Well, I never once wondered why “true love’s kiss” worked on Chat Noir when I tried to break Dark Cupid’s spell. How could it if I wasn’t in love with you at the time? But I guess spells don’t care about masks. And… it was still my first kiss. But I didn’t regret it being with you,” she admitted, her cheeks flushing. But she didn’t look away. They had to learn to be open about this. 

The softness in Adrien’s eyes totally melted her. 

“I really regret not remembering that. Although I would have preferred anything else but a life-or-death situation as the setting for our first kiss,” he concluded and they both laughed. 

“So the first one you don’t remember, the second we both forgot, and the third one, does it count? No, let’s say it doesn’t count. It was barely a kiss after all. Well, we have quite a record,” she said.

Suddenly, there was this very intent look on his face. Marinette gulped.

“Do you think it’s time for another attempt? One we’ll remember and not regret, too.” There was some hesitation in his voice. But his eyes said that he really wanted this. And she did too.

“Let’s see what you have, kitty,” she teased him, before leaning in. 

As their lips met, there were no fireworks. But it felt right. Soft and sweet, it was everything it should have been the previous times. Or maybe it had been, but they didn’t remember it. 

“Do you think we can wipe the slate clean and just call this our first kiss?” he asked when they separated. His cheeks were flushed too, his eyes glowing. Marinette thought her heart would burst with happiness. 

“No, it was a new beginning. But I don’t think we should forget all the previous attempts (apart from that one we can’t remember). They got us here after all. Together. And that’s what matters,” Marinette concluded and drew him in for another kiss. 


	11. That's What I'm Talking About! - LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you've had enough and take desperate measures in order to feel better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what to say about this one. Apart from the fact that if you've been there, experienced something like this, you'll understand Marinette's despair. And she was lucky, the outcome was beyond everything she could have hoped for (and definitely more than what most of us end up with).  
Anyway, enjoy!

“It’s so peaceful tonight,” Ladybug said, looking over the rooftops of Paris, the Eiffel Tower a beacon of light in the distance. 

It was peaceful. Patrols usually were, apart from the very rare occurrence of a problem they had to take care of. But still they were out and about every other night. Parisians felt safe seeing that their superheroes kept an eye on the city. 

“You have no idea how beautiful you look right now. A small smile on your face. The moonlight dancing on your skin…” His words had an instant effect on her. She could feel her cheeks warm up and tried to cover up her embarrassing reaction by saying,

“That’s what I’m talking about! How can you say things like that to me? Like… “ She couldn’t even finish, she was so agitated all of a sudden.

“Like it’s the most natural thing in the world?” he finished for her. “Well, because it is for me. It’s just how I am, m’lady. I can’t help it. Whenever I feel something like this bubbling up, I have to say it.”

“But… I hate it so much when I have to remind you that I love someone else.” It was the truth. She felt terrible whenever she had to dash his hopes anew. 

“Well, I don’t really expect anything in return when I say something like this, in case you think otherwise. I just can’t keep it in. I’m sorry if it’s making you uncomfortable. I’ll try to keep it to a minimum,” he said, hanging his head.

She felt even worse now, seeing how sad he looked. She had no idea what the best way to deal with this was. 

“Kitty, have you tried redirecting your affection to some other girl? I... just want you to be happy. And obviously waiting around for me is making you miserable.”

She saw his rueful smile in the faint light when he looked at her. again. 

“I’m afraid I can’t make my heart want someone else. Other girls just don’t make it race like you do. They don’t make me feel that spark. That something that draws me to you.” He sounded resigned and like he was saying something he’d told himself over and over again. This only reminded her of her own predicament. 

“Unfortunately, that’s how I feel too. I’ve tried so many times to make myself look at someone else. To forget the guy I’m in love with. There are times when I can’t take it anymore, to be honest. I hate it that I’m tethered to this thing that hurts me and you and… “ She felt it. The invisible string connecting her to Adrien. It was weighed down with fear, despair and loneliness. 

“Don’t beat yourself up over this,” Chat was quick to reassure her. “The truth is that we’re kind of helpless when it comes to how we feel about someone. You’re not right about this making me miserable, though. Yes, I may want more from you that you can give me. But I’ve accepted it for now. This is better than torturing myself over it. You should try it.”

“Easier said than done. Why couldn’t I just fall in love with you from the beginning? It would’ve made things so much easier!” There it was. The treacherous thought that found its way to her when she was feeling especially low. Everything would be much easier if she just loved Chat.

She felt her eyes fill with tears. What was happening to her? Sure, she’d felt before that her love for Adrien was a hopeless case. But she’d never felt so dejected. 

An arm snaked around her, bringing her close to him and her head fell on his shoulder. 

“There, there. No need to sound so forlorn,” came his soothing voice. “I’m sure things will work out somehow. It may be hard but we have each other, right? We’re friends. We’ll help each other as best as we can.”

He was right, the rational part of her knew. But she wished she didn’t have to make him sad again. 

And there was something about him being so close to her now. If only she could…

Before she could second-guess herself, she lifted her head and kissed Chat’s lips. She felt him hesitate and pull back. Not the reaction she’d hoped for.

“M’lady…I love you, you know that. But I don’t want to take advantage of you in the state you’re in.”

How chivalrous of him. 

“But I kissed you. I obviously want you to kiss me too,” she said, wondering how she’d ended up persuading him to kiss her. It had always been the other way around. 

“But why?” he was insistent. 

“You once asked me if we’d have a chance if that guy wasn’t around. You know what I think? That if it hadn’t been for him, I’d have fallen in love with you.”

“Yet, he exists and you love him.”

“Make me forget about him, you silly cat. Just for a bit.” her voice was pleading now. She hated herself for doing this, it wasn’t fair to Chat. But she was that desperate too.

She saw confusion give way to determination in his eyes. His hands cupped her face and his lips captured hers. It wasn’t gentle, like she’d expected. It was desperate. It was hungry. It had longing and pent-up desire and so much love poured into it. He wasn’t holding anything back. 

She was swept in a whirlwind of sensations and emotions. She realised she wanted this as much as she needed it. She didn’t want to pine over Adrien. To be sad and lonely. Always observing from a distance. Never being close to anything like this with him.

And Chat… he was actually the most amazing person she knew. Kind, brave, caring, understanding, sweet, funny, clever. And he was hers. He’d let her know this so many times and in so many ways.

She buried her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. Responding to his kiss with equal fervour. 

Something inside of her shifted. A feeling that had been buried deep inside of her was set free. She felt love rise up to the surface. Love for Chat. It had been there, maybe not from the very beginning but for quite some time. Just like his love for her, it’d waited patiently for her to realise it was there. For its moment to come. And it was finally there. 

When they pulled apart, she whispered.

“I love you.”    
He seemed startled by the sudden confession. Of course he hadn’t expected a change of heart after all. 

“I just realised it. It’s been there but I was too blind to see it. To recognise the feeling for what it was,” she explained, marvelling at the beauty of it. 

He closed his eyes as if her words made him dizzy. 

“I know it must seem strange to you. It’s very unexpected for me too. I know it doesn’t fix everything with a magic stick… This is still very complicated. But I hope it’s something,” she trailed off, suddenly unsure. She didn’t know what to make of his reaction. And of her own too. 

When he opened his eyes, they were sparking in the moonlight, full of unshed tears. 

“That’s all I ever wanted,” he whispered. “A chance to fight for you heart.”

“That’s what I’m telling you. You have that chance now. Hell, it seems like you’ve already won the battle.”

“Even if I haven’t yet, I intend to,” he said with newfound confidence and kissed her again. 


	12. Listen. No, really listen! - BugNoire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What starts as an innocent conversation ends ... well, not so innocently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you believe me if I tell you that I have no idea how this happened? This was really meant to be very light and funny. It was meant to end in a simple kiss on the cheek, I have the notes to prove that! But I started writing and the first half was fine. And then it somehow dissolved into this hot mess. Um, I hope you like it.

“Well. That was easy.” Mr. Bug said as he sprawled on the rooftop, somehow managing to do it gracefully. How was that possible? Also, even lying there in a very undignified manner, he still looked so cute. Even cuter. Now, there was no way this was possible, but it looked like that. Marinette shook her head. She’d allowed herself to be distracted by him again. This was happening too often not to worry.

“I never thought I’d see the day when an akuma victim just surrenders. I think this was Hawk Moth’s biggest failure to date. Everything over before it’d begun.” And here they were, without having used their powers. With all the time in the world to enjoy each other’s company. Wait, what was that?

“That was sweet, you have to admit. The girl was so happy to see us,” he said. He smiled at the sky, his eyes closed to the afternoon sun. He was just lying there, doing nothing, and still she couldn’t take her eyes off him!

“Yeah, she practically threw herself at you.” What was with her voice now? Was this a hint of jealousy in there? “But I don’t find it that surprising. No one can resist you in that Ladybug outfit.” 

That had actually sounded genuine. And the way he was now looking at her suggested that he wouldn’t mind in the least if she found him irresistible. Change the topic!

“Come to think of it, it’s not just the suit though. Tikki is practically your biggest fan right now.” There, this sounded better.

“Is she? I’m glad. She’s absolutely adorable. You’re so lucky to have her!” he said with a happy smile. 

“Hey, Plagg is a cutie too! He’s so much fun.”

“Plagg? A cutie?” He said in disbelief. “Are we talking about the same creature? A grumbling fur ball? Yes, totally. An annoying little creature? Absolutely. A smelly black cat? You nailed it! But a cutie? No way!”

Marinette found that she was laughing before she could even try to stop. Poor Plagg. 

“That’s not fair. He can be all of these things, I’m sure, but he’s also adorable. And so brave! Do you know he saved me this one time?”

“What? No! When was that? Why wasn’t I there?”

“They told me you’d lost your Miraculous. Master Fu was adamant that Plagg couldn’t help me on his own because it was dangerous but just when Style Queen was about to finish me off, he appeared to save the day.” It was enough to make her a life-long fan of Plagg.

“Wow. I never would have thought that he’d do something like this. He must like you very much.”

“Come on! I’m pretty sure he’d do the same for you without thinking twice. He loves you.”

“He has a funny way of showing it sometimes, but I guess I’d have to agree with you. He’s just tested my patience too many times to count. So a cutie? Not the way I’d think to describe him,” he shrugged. He somehow managed that while lying down. 

“He’ll know what you said,” she reminded him.

“Ah, I can deal with that. Don’t get me wrong. I love the little fellow. But having Tikki for a change is such a breath of fresh air. Especially when I know it won’t happen again any time soon. This was a fluke, much like the first time. And it’s for the better, I guess. I’m not meant to be Ladybug. Or Mr. Bug. I’m just not good at that.” 

Now he looked sad. Which was a bit funny considering his position on the rooftop. But it wasn’t right. And it was her fault.

“Hey. Listen.” He was about to protest before she’d started, so she cut him off. “No, really listen! Don’t be so hard on yourself. That first time was a tough fight. I’m sorry if I made you feel like you weren’t worthy. It would’ve been hard for everyone to find themselves with such complicated powers and so much responsibility the first time they face an akuma and an amok. You remember I also got it wrong, by using Cataclysm on the sentimonster. I acted too hastily and made a mistake. It happens. And there is a reason each of us got the Miraculous we have. We come equipped with special mental and physical abilities that can help us use it in the most effective way. But even we’re not that good that we can yield two Miraculouses equally well.”

“I guess you’re right. At least it was fun. And we didn’t actually end up losing, so it worked out somehow. I have no idea what happened this time, but I’m glad we didn’t have to see if the beginners’ luck had run dry. And we certainly need to take better care of our Miraculous. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to take it off again.”

“Same here. So we’re in the same boat. Thankfully, we were lucky. But I guess we’d better get going. I’m sure you’ll be missed if you don’t go back to what you were doing before we got here.” And she was. Probably. Although by now her friends were used to her pulling the disappearing act on them. 

“You’re right. Nothing exciting is waiting for me, I’m afraid. But I also can’t keep you to myself, as much as I’d like that,” he said, smirking.

Before she could decide that the idea of him keeping her to himself was rather appealing, she turned to leave. But a hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks. She had no idea how he’d managed to get up so fast. She was about to turn around, but then she felt his breath tickle her ear and he said,

“Before you go, can I ask one thing though? Since you kind of made fun of me in that suit earlier.” She’d done no such thing, but she couldn’t explain. Not now. She just nodded.

“Can you purr for me, kitty?” 

She didn’t know if it was the words that made her shiver, or his soft voice in hear ear. Or the warmth she could feel seep through her suit because he was that close to her. She also didn’t know what made her do what she did next. But she felt bold all of a sudden. And playful as well. 

She turned around, coming face to face with him, and smiled widely at him.

“One way to find out,” she said and didn’t wait for his reaction. She grabbed his face between her hands and brought his lips down on hers. She’d meant it as a joke. But it started as anything but. It was sweet and hot and dizzying. He was very quick to recover from his surprise, she had to give it to him. He didn’t waste a second and dove straight into the kiss. 

He also wrapped an arm around her waist and slowly pushed her back until she felt a wall behind her. She felt him lean on the wall using his other arm. All this without breaking the kiss. 

Her fingers were tangled in his hair and she tried to be careful not to scratch his head with her razor sharp claws. But when she felt the tentative touch of his tongue on her bottom lip, she couldn’t stop herself. Her fingers dug in and she just hoped it didn’t hurt too much. He didn’t seem to mind.

Because the gasp she heard was not coming from him, but from her. She thought she was going to faint, she felt so weak at the knees as his tongue lightly touched hers. But the arm wrapped around her held her firmly in place. 

She was sure it couldn’t possibly get any better than that. It was already beyond amazing. And then he pressed her back to the wall, his body flush with hers. And she completely lost touch with reality. A light vibration starting in her chest startled her at first but then the unmistakable sound of purring brought both of them down to earth. Breaking the kiss, they started laughing, while also gasping for air. When they calmed down eventually, she took one look at him and knew she was in trouble. 

With flushed cheeks, swollen lips and even more tousled hair, he was absolutely irresistible. And the look in his eyes was pure fire.

“That got my question answered,” he said slowly. “But I haven’t had enough.” The words, coupled with the way he was looking at her, made her shiver in anticipation. She didn’t hesitate. 

“You have five minutes,” she said before kissing him again. Anything else could wait. 


	13. There Is Just Something About Him - Marichat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The purest, sweetest Marichat, the way it could have been

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rereading what I've written, I realised something. (Apart from the fact that yes, I once again failed to write a pre-reveal Adrienette chapter, sorry) This is the most realistic thing I've ever written. Something that could actually be canon without a problem. But for some reason, unknown to us, just isn't. It's what I would have loved to see after Weredad. Or in other words, what my poor Marichat heart was denied. I hope you like it!

“Man, just see the way he looks at her! He’s so in love it’s written all over his face. I don’t know how he can still act like a lovesick puppy around her even when she’s “in love with someone else,” her words.”

Adrien didn’t know what Alya was talking about, because he’d missed the beginning of the conversation. But he knew she was showing Nino some new photo of Ladybug and Chat Noir she’d snapped recently. Considering her words, he was almost certain which photo it was. Although there were more than one of him staring lovingly at his lady.

He had to fight hard to keep his expression under control and not let a telltale blush cover his cheeks. Whenever he heard someone discuss his love for Ladybug, he got uncomfortable. Which was strange, since he didn’t really try to hide his feelings, so it was logical that people would know about them. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the people discussing this never knew that Chat Noir was within hearing distance and could hear their judgement or offhand comments.

In this particular case, what made him feel bad was Alya and Nino’s knowledge of something that wasn’t exactly publicly known. That Ladybug had rejected him and done so because she’d said there was another guy. 

Hearing them talk about it, pushed the sting deeper. He was supposed to be used to it by now. After all, he’d heard those words from his lady’s own mouth countless times. But the truth was his heart broke anew every single time. 

“Alya, you know this is something very private between them. You don’t have all the facts and you shouldn’t make comments like that.” 

This was new. Marinette’s soft but stern voice hadn’t been heard in the conversation before. And the way she said it… It was as if she was irritated and really didn’t want to hear more about that. He almost swayed in his seat when he realised the most likely reason for this. But then they kept talking and he cocked an ear.

“Well, don’t you think it’s strange? Him being so stubborn. And isn’t she fed up with this by now? I totally bet that she is.”

“Have you ever considered the fact that he’s not exactly doing it on purpose? He can’t exactly control his own feelings, turn them on and off on command. He might not be happy with the situation but he can’t help it. You should feel bad for him, not criticise him.”

Wow. It shouldn’t be that surprising that Marinette knew him better than the rest of them, at least as Chat, but to hear her conclusions, which were so spot on, was still unexpected. 

“Girl, when did you become so knowledgeable of Chat Noir and his feelings? Do you have something to tell me?” Alya’s teasing brought him up short in his thoughts. Wait, Alya, Marinette’s best friend didn’t know about her… little history with Chat? He always thought that those two told each other everything. Had Marinette kept it under wraps because of him? To protect him in case word got out? Or to protect herself?

He cast a quick glance in her direction and was floored by the sight of her cheeks suffused with colour. This was definitely a secret. And obviously one that she didn’t want to share. Of course, this made sense. She probably didn’t want to tell her friend that she’d been rejected by the famous superhero. He felt the familiar pang when he thought of that. 

“I… don’t know what you mean, Alya. It’s a simple observation. Well, and from the times he’d saved me in different situations and what small contact we’ve had, I can tell you that he’s a perfect gentleman. I don’t think he’ll impose on someone on purpose. You should know that too, I think, you’ve talked to him too, right?”

“Yeah, I have, I agree about him being a gentleman. It doesn’t work on me though. I don’t think I get that starry-eyed look when I talk about him! You seem almost… wistful.” 

Alya’s taunting words almost made Adrien whip around to see for himself that look in Marinette’s eyes. Which was stupid! The girl had told him, well Chat, that she was in love with him! Yes, it had been a while ago, but still, it was normal for her to get sentimental about it. 

“I don’t think I have that look, thank you very much. But there is just something about him. Have you ever thought that Ladybug may have rejected him, but it might not have been that easy for her? He’s her trusted partner and best friend. It must have hurt her too. And well, he may be harder to resist than we know.”

Adrien’s eyes were about to pop out of his head. He didn’t believe he was hearing this. One, that very correct assessment of his relationship with Ladybug? Wow. Was Marinette that insightful? And then, well, she said he was hard to resist. Again, he shouldn’t be surprised, in light of his knowledge of her feelings, but to hear her talk about it with someone else… It was different. 

“I can’t believe this! This is totally going down as one very important moment in history! You just admitted that Chat Noir is charming!”

“Did I? I meant something totally different. But trust you to pick on that.”

“Of course! You’ve been so adamant about this in the past. Basically that he could drop on a knee and kiss your hand and shower you with compliments and you’d still be unaffected by it. And now this!”

Wow. Now that was surprising. Although if he thought back to their first meeting as Chat and Marinette, he had to admit that she’d acted strange, especially since he’d acted exactly in the way Alya had described. She’d tried to look impressed but there had been something forced in her reaction. Well, he’d been way over the top back then, so it made sense, probably. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Marinette’s indignant words could be heard even as the two girls left the room. Leaving Adrien to his thoughts. 

*

He was still thinking about that when he ran from rooftop to rooftop that evening. It had been strange to hear Marinette talk about him like that. About Chat. While they’d parted as friends after the lunch debacle at her house and the subsequent akumatisation of her father, they hadn’t exactly met as Marinette and Chat since then. So he had no way of knowing how she felt about him now. 

To hear her speak so highly of him. To note the sympathy in her voice as she talked about his complicated situation with Ladybug. It had warmed his heart. 

So it was no wonder that he ended up close to her home that evening. And when he saw her on her balcony, alone, stargazing, just like on another night, a long time ago, he couldn’t resist going to her. 

This time, when she saw him, she wasn’t startled. She smiled warmly at him and said,

“Chat! I haven’t seen you in such a long time! What brings you here?”

“I… didn’t know if I was welcome here anymore, Marinette. So I hadn’t stopped by,” he replied, slightly abashed. 

“Of course you’re always welcome here! I said we could still be friends, right? I hope you don’t feel uncomfortable because of what happened and the cause for it.” It was her turn to look embarrassed. 

“No! I’m glad you don’t feel bad about it too. I kind of missed you,” he admitted, surprising even himself. But it was true. He could be himself with her, but in a different way than he did when with Ladybug. He was more relaxed with Marinette, more at ease. And she was so different with him as Chat compared to the way she acted around Adrien! He liked seeing her at ease around him too. 

He realised he’d gotten lost in his thoughts when she said,

“I missed you too, Chat!” and threw her arms around him. It was very much like last time on her balcony. When he’d had baby August in his arms. When she’d confessed her feelings to him. But now it felt so natural. So easy to hug her back. To feel the comfort and safety of that embrace. When she pulled back after a while, she added,

“Don’t be a stranger, ok?” and surprised him again by placing a kiss on his cheek. It was the softest thing. 

“I’ll try to come visit as often as I can,” he replied with a big smile. It felt so good to be here, with her. He was sure he’d make a habit of it. And hopefully he’d not wear out his welcome too fast. 


	14. Secrets? I Love Secrets - Adrienette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-reveal talk about the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As luck would have it, I just watched Syren before posting this. I totally love the scenes with Adrien trying to bribe Plagg, but I also felt really sorry for him (Adrien). And don't get me started on Kwami Buster. I was proud of him and so sad at the end. Anyway. Enjoy!

“Do you want to hear a secret?” Marinette said one evening while cuddling Adrien. They’d already told each other so much that it was strange that there were still some things that they hadn’t discussed already. But there were some moments from their past that she had yet to bring up. And he was leaving it up to her to decide when to do that.

“Did someone say secrets? I love secrets,” said Plagg from Tikki’s nook where he was nibbling on Camembert while Tikki ate a macaron. Marinette knew they were trying not to eavesdrop (at least Tikki) but there wasn’t that much space in Marinette’s room for them to have complete privacy. So they’d gotten used to the kwamis commenting on their conversations from time to time. And after all, they didn’t really have any secrets from them. 

“Speak for yourself, Plagg. I don’t,” Adrien grumbled. Marinette couldn’t help but smile at his pouty face. 

“We all know that. I still remember that time before you knew Master Fu, how grumpy you were because I was keeping something from you.”

“Do you blame me? It’s terrible to be left in the dark like that. Especially when we’re supposedly partners and trust each other.”

“We can trust each other with our own secrets, kitty, but when it’s someone else’s secret we’re protecting, it gets tricky,” she reminded him affectionately.

“You don’t know even half of it. He tried to bribe me with cheese! And then he threatened to take off his ring and give up being Chat Noir if I didn’t tell him what you were hiding,” Plagg said with a huff. 

“No, really?” she exclaimed. 

“Well, I was really upset,” Adrien said. “But thankfully, it was resolved pretty quickly. I didn’t like feeling mad at you or at Plagg.”

“I’m pretty sure you would have been madder about the thing I’m going to tell you if you figured out it was a lie sooner,” she said, looking away. “I’m sorry, Adrien. I’m just realising how hard it must have been for you to feel so isolated from almost all decisions I took as Ladybug.”

“I understand, m’lady. It was you Master Fu chose to confide in for a reason. And it was prudent of him to keep it limited to you. But I admit, it wasn’t nice. What about that secret?”

“That one was actually because of Plagg.” she said with a smile, shooting the black kwami a fond smile. They both loved him to bits but he had gotten them in some quite complicated situations.

“Me? What did I do?” he said innocently.

“You ate that cheese Ms. Mendeleiev had set as a trap for you. And gave us a big clue about our identities when you were nearly caught,” Marinette said, eyeing him.

“Oh, that. I thought we were over that,” said Plagg, already sounding bored.

“I still need to say something about it though,” she said, taking Adrien’s hand in her. “The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do as Ladybug was fooling you that I was Multumouse in order for you not to figure out I was Ladybug too. I had no way of knowing if you’d somehow connected Tikki to me, but even on the off chance that you were close to figuring out, I had to take drastic measures. But I felt sorry for manipulating you like that. I didn’t want to betray your trust and I still couldn’t think of another way to protect myself. I’m really sorry,” she finished off, hiding her face against his shoulder.

“Hey, it’s ok. We’ve already been over that. I’ve done things to protect my identity too. Maybe never things I’d directly targeted at you, but you still ended up believing what I wanted you and everyone else to believe too. That’s what we had to do. One of the reasons I always hoped we could get to know each other’s identities. So there would be no need to lie to each other. To hide. But it was dangerous.’

“I’m glad you don’t hold that against me. I really felt awful.” She looked at their joined hands, still marvelling at the fact that they’d somehow overcome so many difficulties, so much confusion and messes to end up here, together. Their feelings for each other were above every lie and hidden truth. They loved each other too much to accuse the other one of things they’d done out of necessity.

“Do you want to hear a fun fact?” Adrien said, a smile on his face.

She needed the distraction. “Yes. totally.”

“Do you know how close I was then? To figuring it out. And I felt so sure. So happy as well,” he said, with a faraway look in his eyes. It was as if he was back in the past. When he’d had that lightbulb moment. It must have been really intense for him, Marinette thought. 

“It’s true. The kid got me cornered. I had to lie and pretend I didn’t know what he was talking about. I decided never to call him oblivious after that. It was clear he could see everything when he wanted to,” Plagg chimed in. 

“I had no idea. My little stunt was more like a precaution,” she admitted.   
“Well, I saw you sneak out at the same time I did. And this planted some doubt. But when I realised that Ladybug was in my school and then saw you come out of the restrooms and turn back around at the same time I felt that akuma warning go off? It was a too big coincidence. And it actually made so much sense. I didn’t even think to question it. Until Plagg told me I’d better forget about it all unless I wanted to end up without him.”

“You were better off staying oblivious, that’s the truth,” said Plagg. “I’d already gotten attached to you. And all the cheese you can provide for me. So I didn’t want to lose you.”

“Plagg, did you just put me above cheese?” Adrien teased him.   
“Pfft, no, it just sounded like that. You know cheese is more important than anything,” he said, swallowing his next bite. Tikki looked sideways at him, but apparently decided not to call him out on his lie. They all knew Plagg couldn’t imagine leaving Adrien too. 

“We know, we know,” Marinette agreed hastily. 

“Just so you know. That I figured it out first. And I was more than glad. Before I was fooled by that illusion and the reveal was taken from me. But yeah, you know what I mean,” Adrien said, taking her face in his hands. 

“I’m glad you were happy it was me. But it’s over now. No more hiding. Just me and you,” she said and closed her eyes to welcome his kiss. Every time they kissed it still felt like a true miracle. She hoped this feeling never wore off.

“Eew. They’re at it again. I’m going to sleep,” she heard Plagg’s voice and smiled into Adrien’s lips. Yeah, things were great as they were. 


	15. It Will Be Fun, Trust Me!  - Marinette/Mr. Bug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ladybug is out of commission, there is a new hero to save the day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea for this came to me at 3.30 am and wouldn't go away. But I'm really happy with how it turned out. It's your bonus chapter for the week, since it was one of the prompts I missed writing at the beginning of the month. Enjoy!

Marinette woke up slowly and at first couldn’t realise why she felt so tired. As she opened bleary eyes, the first thing she saw was Plagg sleeping on the pillow next to her. When she brought her right hand in front of her face (it was surprisingly hard to do) she saw Adrien’s ring on her finger. She felt a trickle of panic but did her best to nip it in the bud. She was sure there was a perfectly good explanation for this. 

She closed her eyes again and tried to recall the last 24 hours which proved to be not an easy task. Her memories were full of blank spots, most probably due to her fever, she thought. It had been one of those terrible 24-hour bugs that were over pretty quickly but you were rendered useless by them. High fever and frequent bathroom visits had kept her bedridden a whole night and the day after that. Adrien had been there for her, helping in any way he could, while still trying to stay out of the way so as not to catch it too, at her insistence. 

Her last memory was of him tucking her in after her fever had finally broken. He’d said he’d be close by and left her to rest. This had happened late this afternoon, if her time orientation at the time was anything to trust. Now it was dark outside, but the small night lamp near her bed was on. Her mother must have been in. Marinette hoped Plagg had managed to hide in time.

She moved to get up tentatively, expecting to feel light headed. The bug had totally sapped her energy, for sure. She felt as weak as a child, even if the other physical symptoms were mostly gone. She took a deep breath and slowly made her way to the bathroom to freshen up, unconsciously looking at her skylight before leaving her room. 

She needed to know that Adrien was ok. There was only one reason for him to take her earrings (as she’d discovered right after finding Plagg) and leave her his ring. There had been an emergency and he’d done the only thing he could - he’d taken over from her, while she’d been incapacitated. She really admired him for his quick thinking. Nothing like that had happened before, but it was such a brilliant idea that she felt ashamed that she hadn’t thought of it before, even if it had been only to use as a contingency plan. 

She had full confidence in him. He could do perfectly well as Mr. Bug. She felt so thankful for the number of training sessions they’d had over time. It had really come in handy to have some practice with each other’s powers. But she still felt bad because she wasn’t there to help him. In times of great need, either of them could manage on their own (it was his first time doing this, but she trusted him), but they were a team for a reason. They always needed someone to watch their back. And the moral support they provided for each other wasn’t to be underestimated. She wished she could be there for him now. But most of all hoped that he’d be back soon, safe and sound.

When she got back into bed, Plagg opened a sleepy eye and said,

“Don’t worry, Marinette. He’ll be fine. Me and Tikki have the utmost faith in him, otherwise we wouldn’t have let him go.”

“I know Plagg. I trust him too. He’s perfectly capable of doing this. But I can’t help imagining all kinds of terrible scenarios.” She closed her eyes, trying to banish the nightmarish images from her mind. 

“You’ve done this on your own before. It’ll be ok.”

“But I’d had some close calls. Like that time you had to save me. Why didn’t you go with them?” she asked him. She tried not to sound accusingly, but she was that worried.

“He insisted I stay here to protect you and to be at your disposal in case you need it,” Plagg said.

“Of course he did,” Marinette grumbled. He and his overprotectiveness. Why was he allowed to worry about her and do something about it? While she had to stay here, helpless, and wait. Although she was thankful for Plagg’s company. 

“I know you could have easily disobeyed him, Plagg. There was nothing to stop you from going after them. But thanks for staying,” she said, scratching the little cat behind its small ears. He purred and leaned into the touch. . 

A sudden sound made both of them look up just in time to see a red and black blur drop onto her bed. 

Marinette didn’t waste a second, but was all over him. Her lips captured his in a heated kiss, while her hands were frantically checking him all over for anything out of place. He seemed perfectly fine and she finally relaxed, drawing him into a tight hug.

“I was so worried about you,” she whispered into his lips as they finally came up for air. Her eyes locked with his, trying to convey everything she felt and couldn’t say fast enough. 

“I’m sorry. That’s why I left Plagg with you, to keep you company. I was worried about you too. Are you feeling better?” he asked, looking her all over.

“Much better. But still weak as a kitten,” she said, smirking at him. He smiled widely at that.

“Hey, I’m a kitten too, but you know I’m anything but weak,” Plagg threw in and they both laughed. “Good to see you back, kid,” he told Adrien, fondness clear in his voice. 

“Remind me never to listen to you, again,” Adrien said in mock indignation. “It will be fun, trust me,” he told me before I left. Can you imagine?” he added, turning to Marinette.

“Was it terrible?” she asked, concerned all over again.

“Nah. I’m just kidding. I was lucky. It wasn’t anything too hard. I would have preferred having you by my side, but it was ok. I think I did well for a first solo attempt,” he said, unable to hide his pride. 

Just then, the earrings beeped and his transformation wore off. Tikki flew out to Marinette, nuzzling her cheek, but turned to Adrien looking even prouder.

“He was amazing, Marinette. You should have seen him.”

“Thanks, Tikki,” Adrien said, looking fondly at the kwami. “We make a great team,” he said and they did the customary “Pound it!”. 

“Speaking of this, I think I can actually see you in action. I’m sure there is some footage of the battle. No one would miss anything like this,” Marinette said, reaching for her phone. 

They all huddled together to watch. 

Later, just as Adrien was preparing to leave, Marinette said,

“Please, stay. I’ll really feel better knowing you’re here. I’m so proud of you, you know. But I don’t think I’d ever been so worried in my life,” she finished, burying her face against his shoulder.

He hugged her and said into her hair,

“I’m glad I could help while you were sick. But I really hope we never have to separate again. I love you.”

She looked up at him and kissed him softly. 

“I love you too, Bugaboy.”


	16. Yes, I Admit It, You Were Right - LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Oblivio fluff, because who doesn't need that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have anything to say about this one apart from the fact that watching Oblivio won't help cheer you up, if you need it. Instead, watch Reflekdoll, now that one works 100%!  
Enjoy!

Ladybug swung on her yoyo, trying to get out of the line of fire of that latest akuma victim. She was totally fed up with the laser-eye monster trying to burn through everything. She needed just a minute to set her plan in motion and get this over with. Just...And then her eyes caught on something. Quite a big something. A billboard with that by now infamous photo of her and Chat Noir kissing. Not the first one Nadja had shown in her TV show. Oh God, why are photos of me kissing him always haunting me, she thought.

This one she’d looked at for hours. Trying to figure out what had made her do it. Why did she seem like this was the best thing to happen to her? And here it was now. Blown up. Huge. Like, you couldn’t miss it even if you tried. Why would anyone do this? Someone had a sick sense of humour, for sure. Or was it the latest attempt to make them confirm that they were in fact a couple, in spite of the numerous times they’d denied that?

There was one thing she could no longer pretend she couldn’t see. They really made a good-looking couple. And one so obviously in love, it was painful to look at. Especially if you’re one part of the couple supposedly in love and you couldn’t remember how on earth that happened!

She was lost in admiring the simple beauty of their kiss and did the one thing she wasn’t supposed to do - lost track of the villain. It was a good thing Chat was always there to watch her back. She heard his “Watch out!” a second before he pushed her out of the way of the laser beam. They tumbled on the roof and quickly got up to their feet. 

“Thanks, kitty,” Ladybug said, still a little flustered because of what she’d just been thinking about. She shook her head and focused on the object in her hand. Right, a fire extinguisher. 

Fortunately, after that, it didn’t take them more than a minute to wrap up the battle. It could have ended even earlier if she hadn’t been distracted. 

Once she threw the Lucky Charm into the air to fix the damage caused by the laser monster, she turned to Chat, only to find him looking at the same billboard. Great.

“Is this what got you distracted earlier, m’lady?” he said. His voice was teasing, but also warm with sympathy. He knew this wasn’t easy for her. It wasn’t for him, too, she reminded herself, he didn’t know what exactly had happened either. 

“You got it. I just didn’t expect to see… well, us,” she mumbled, her cheeks burning. 

“You have to admit, though, we do look good,” Chat said, still staring at the billboard, a small smile on his lips. No, don’t think about his lips, Ladybug scolded herself! This was the last thing she needed. She once again got caught in her thoughts so she didn’t realise when she slipped and said,

“You’re right.”

“Wait, what?” he asked, clearly surprised by her answer. She was surprised too. Well, she had been thinking this, but she never intended to say it out loud. She had to own it now or she’d look even more ridiculous.

“Yes, I admit it, you were right when you said that we’d make a good-looking couple,” she said, not looking at him. There, it was out. It wasn’t that painful after all, she thought. 

“Absolutely! I was. I just never expected you to agree with me.”

“I didn’t either. But look at this. It seems almost too good to be true. Like someone staged the whole thing. To promote the new superhero couple of Paris,” she said bitterly. 

“But we know it wasn’t staged, m’lady.” His soft words brought her eyes back to his. His eyes were even softer. Oh… if only her treacherous heart didn’t race when he looked at her like that. It was so loud in her ears, she was afraid he could hear it. Wait, he has supernatural hearing, he probably can, she thought in alarm. But then he continued. “We don’t know what exactly happened. But you can see for yourself that it was what we both wanted at the time.”

He was right. Of course. 

“I just don’t understand how it could have happened…” she admitted. 

“Me too. Believe me, I want to understand more than anything.” His eyes told her the rest. He wanted to know in order to make it happen again. She bit back a gasp at his intense gaze. 

“Do you think we should do it again? It could give us a clue,” he offered. It was hard to say if he was joking or being serious. The way he looked at her though....

“This sounds like a trap,” she managed to spit out. She had trouble thinking and talking all of a sudden.

“It probably is,” he said, a smile tugging on the corner of his lips. Oh God, his lips. Once her eyes were drawn to them, there was no going back. Before she realised she was doing it, she was kissing him. A desperate, hungry kiss. Her fingers slipped into his hair on their own accord. She felt his arms wrap around her. 

Wow. This was so different from that kiss when she was trying to save him from Dark Cupid’s spell. That was business. This was pleasure. No way around that. It felt too good, she couldn’t deny it. Well, she didn’t know why her amnesiac self had done it, but if she’d felt the same thing, no wonder she looked so lost in the moment. 

She needed to end this. This was enough for their experiment. It hadn’t exactly given them an answer. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. How was she going to act nonchalantly after such a kiss? 

Eventually, she was forced to separate her lips from his because she ran out of breath. While she was trying to catch it, he leaned his forehead against hers. 

“Wow,” was all he could say. She agreed. 

And then her earrings beeped. She felt so grateful for the interruption. She totally needed time to collect her thoughts. 

“I know you need to go.” It was his voice again, still gasping for air. And soft, sweet. She was in a big mess if she found his voice irresistible too. “But next time, we’ll talk about this.”

His eyes showed both his determination and his feelings. They were shining with love. She found she didn’t mind that very much anymore. 

“We will,” she agreed. She placed another soft kiss on his lips before she could stop herself and then turned around, leaving. It was the hardest thing she’d ever done. 


	17. You Could Talk About It, You Know - Adrienette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien is plagued by a nightmare that turns out to be a memory he shouldn't have

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first time I delve into the darker aspects of Miraculous. The fears, the nightmares, the bad memories that don't go away. I'm sure they are there, even if we don't see them. Because with great power, come great responsibilities and many ways it could go wrong. It's not an easy read, but there is still hope at the end.  
I hope you like it!

It was happening again, Marinette thought, amid the rustle of sheets and the sound of Adrien gasping for breath. She didn’t say anything, just slowly reached out a hand and put it on his back. When he didn’t brush it off, she started moving it in slow circles. Waiting for his breathing to slow.

When you’ve slept on your own your whole life, especially without anyone to share a room with, it takes time to get used to the fact that there is someone there beside you at night. It’s the small noises and hoarding of sheets, the warmth of a body next to yours, the last goodnight you hear in the evening and the first good morning when you wake up. In some cases, it’s also dealing with the other person’s nightmares in addition to your own.

For Marinette and Adrien, this was a recent development. One night, they were too tired and they’d fallen asleep while talking. They didn’t realise it until they woke up in the morning, still in their clothes and in each other’s arms. For Marinette, it had been so magical, waking up next to him. Watching him sleep for a minute or two, before he woke up too. He’d looked to peaceful, so calm. Still, she couldn’t resist lifting a hand and caressing his cheek. His eyes fluttered open, focused on her and a smile slowly lit up her face. As if he, just like her, couldn’t think of anything better to wake up to. 

Since that night, they tried to sneak in for a night of shared sleep as often as they could. They had to be very careful because they couldn’t risk being caught and having to explain how they ended up in the other’s room without revealing the convenient superhero way. They also had to be careful not to be found missing from their rooms at night. This was one of the reasons Adrien spent most nights at Marinette’s, because her parents were more likely to check on her and worry if she wasn’t there. While no one usually looked for Adrien at night. 

That first night had been easy because they hadn’t really thought about it. But then they started worrying about who liked to sleep in what position, who took up more of the bed (Marinette), who was a heavy sleeper (Marinette again) and who woke up at the smallest sound (Adrien), who was restless and turned around a lot (Marinette, any surprise?). But they were still in the phase when they found everything about the other one endearing so they very quickly got used to sharing a bed. Yes, it was not always very comfortable, especially since Marinette’s bed was a bit too small for both of them. But being able to hold each other during the night compensated for that. 

There was also the delicate matter of where things were going now that they actually shared a bed. But they’d talked about that and decided sleeping was enough for now. Although from the look of things, it wouldn’t be for much longer. For now, it was the comfort they brought each other that they both craved the most. They found out that they both slept better when the other one was close by. 

Apart from nights like that one, when Marinette was woken by Adrien tossing and turning, mumbling unintelligible things in his sleep, only to wake up with a soft cry after a minute, trying to catch his breath. It had happened one or two times before. Once he calmed down, he usually apologised for disturbing her and got back to sleep. She didn’t want to press him to talk about this if he didn’t feel like it, but she was worried a bit too much to let it happen again and again without saying anything. 

So now, when she saw that his breathing was steady and he’d stopped trembling under her hand, she said softly,

“You could talk about it, you know. I want to help you if I can.”

“You’re already helping more than you realise,” he replied, turning to her with a tired smile. In response to her confused expression, he added, “I feel so much better the moment I see you here, next to me. But it’s still scary and I need some time to collect myself.”

“Tell me what it is that scares you,” she said, taking his hand in hers. 

He took a calming breath and looked at a loss for words at first.

“It’s always so strange. It comes out of nowhere. Without any context. Just you lying on the ground. Ladybug you. And I can see my hand with Cataclysm ready for use, so close to your head… as if I’m about to use it on you…” 

The sharp intake of breath came from her and couldn’t have gone unnoticed by him. 

“Does it sound… familiar?” he said unsure, terrified. 

“Oh God, Adrien. I was sure you never remember a thing of what you do when you’re under the influence of a villain. I’m so sorry that you have to relive that moment,” she said, her other hand on her mouth, trying to hold in a sob. It broke her heart to imagine how he felt like dreaming of something like this. 

“When?” Came his whispered reply.

“Dark Cupid. Just before I kissed you.” She shot out before she could stop herself. 

In response, he just groaned. The fingers of his other hand, not the one clutching hers, buried in his hair, tugging at the strands in an attempt to distract him from thinking about the disaster he could have caused. 

Marinette didn’t hesitate and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his shoulder. 

“Shh. It’s ok. Nothing happened. You didn’t hurt me. You’ll never hurt me, I know,” she whispered in his ear. 

“But… sometimes, the dream doesn’t end there,” he whispered back, the effort speaking about this required evident in his voice. 

Marinette put her hand over his mouth before he could go on. She wasn’t sure if he meant to say more but she didn’t want him to torture himself this way. She also didn’t want to hear it. 

“No. Don’t think about it. It’s never going to happen. I trust you with all my heart. Even when you’re influenced by evil forces, you’re still yourself. I know you’d stop before you caused me any harm.” She said the words she told herself when she was scared, when seeing him act not like himself became too much. 

He didn’t say anything, just let her hold him. 

“You know,” she said after a while. “I sometimes dream of you getting hurt while trying to protect me. You always throw yourself in the line of fire without a second thought. It’s terrifying to just stand there and watch you do it. I know I can reverse whatever damage is caused afterwards. But it still haunts me. The thought that something terrible could happen to you.”

He turned around and hugged her tightly even before she finished talking. He couldn’t exactly apologise for putting himself in danger. It was what he had to do, whether she liked it or not. 

“I’ve always known that we can’t be superheroes and expect to remain unscathed. Maybe physically we can, if we’re lucky. But the fears, the terror of things we’ve lived through will always remain with us,” she mused. 

She wasn’t going to tell him about other close calls they’d had when he’d been controlled by the enemy. And she hoped he never got to dream of them. Her poor kitty. It was bad enough that she remembered them.

“We have each other though. And we can deal with this together. So talk to me. Tell me if there is anything else worrying you. It might help,” she finished. 

He lifted his head and looked at her intently. 

“I love you,” he whispered before his lips came down on hers. It was desperate and sad. And still hopeful. She kissed him back with all the love she felt for him. Hoping it would be enough to heal them someday. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised that in "Afterglow" I didn't really give them a night of shared sleep. Let's assume that the nights I described there were the nights it couldn't happen for a reason. So this can serve as a kind of a prequel to it. Because they deserve that special feeling of falling asleep together and then waking up to see the other one there.


	18. Change Is Annoyingly Difficult - BugNoire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things seem like they'd never change. Others change without us noticing them, Marinette finds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I know BugNoire is basically LadyNoir. But I love Mr. Bug. So I get to use him as often as I want. That's it.   
Enjoy!

“Aren’t you tired of waiting to grow up sometimes?” Mr. Bug said as they were lounging on a rooftop after their latest training session. They’d found those to be pretty productive so they’d ended up doing them quite often. The kwamis thought it was a great idea. And it also provided some much needed variety in their lives. It got a bit tiring fighting in the same way, with the same powers time after time. So they welcomed the opportunity to spice it up a bit. 

“Why are you in a hurry to grow up anyway? From what I see, being a grown up means even more responsibilities and less time to enjoy the small things in life,” Marinette said, closing her eyes and tilting her head up to the sun. Yeah, having a couple of minutes just to themselves after some exertion was the best, she thought. 

“Huh, you’re right about that one. But in our case it also means not having to worry about this annoying five-minute timer on my ears. Or on my finger, depending on the case. Once we’re older, we’ll be in better control of our powers and will be able to use them for longer. Don’t you want that?”

“Oh, you’re saying it like it’s a good thing. I actually hope that we’ll have no need for our powers when we grow up. Like, we’d defeated Hawk Moth by then. I don’t particularly look forward to playing superheroes for the rest of our lives.”

It was the truth. She actually looked forward to much needed rest from all this running around and fighting crazy villain after crazy villain. Although, if she was perfectly honest with herself, she may miss some of this. Her partner. Moments like this. When it was peaceful and nice for a change.

“You’re such a spoilsport,” he muttered, but he was smiling.

“Anyway, I don’t think better control of our powers and longer period of staying transformed will just come to us as we grow older. Things like that are not just handed to us. We have to work for them. Grow up, change, you know.”

“Well, change is annoyingly difficult,” he said with a huff. 

“Don’t tell me you haven’t changed at all since you became Chat Noir. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something you’ve done on purpose. It happens without us noticing it until a certain moment sometimes.”

She surely had changed since becoming Ladybug. Not all changes were good, though. She lied a lot more these days, for one. But then again, she was more confident too. She tried to believe more in herself because she now knew she could do so much more than she’d ever imagined possible. It was hard work, being a superhero. But it also made you a better person, if you did it the right way. 

“Hm. When you put it like that, I guess you’re right. I have changed. I find my superhero persona bleeding into my everyday one at times. Which in my case is a good thing. I try to stand up to people. And be myself, not what people expect me to be. It’s hard, but I think being Chat Noir has certainly helped me.”

“I can’t really imagine someone walking over Chat Noir or making him do anything he doesn’t want to do, but if you say so,” she teased him. There it was again. For some reason, she always felt in a flirty mood when he was Mr. Bug. She was trying very hard to keep that under control, but sometimes she slipped. 

“Ha, says who? You know I’d do anything you ask me to do, m’lady,” he replied with a wink in her direction.

“It doesn’t count,” she quickly dismissed. The very idea that she could command him and for him to be at her beck and call was hard to stomach. Of course, she very often told him what to do but only when it came to executing one of her plans. She didn’t like to think that she could abuse the power she had over him for some reason. 

“But you’re right. It’s better for us to wait it out. To come into our power as we grow up. Besides, I still have hope that I’d make you fall for me before we’re too old. And before we defeat Hawk Moth.” 

The cheeky grin accompanying his words should have annoyed her. But instead, it did strange things to her heart. Him being so stubborn and refusing to accept that she was in love with someone else should get on her nerves. And it had, until recently. She didn’t know what had changed. But while before she’d always been in a hurry to leave him after defeating a villain, she now found excuses to stick around. To chat for a minute or two. Just like now. She had no reason to do this other than the fact that she actually enjoyed his company. He made her feel good. Made it easier to be Ladybug. Which for her had always been no fun, just a responsibility. He’d somehow changed that. 

She found herself getting lost in the beautiful green eyes staring at her. She never got over the fact that his eyes were the same mesmerising green they were when he was Chat, but without the feline effects. Whenever she found her gaze drawn to them when he was Mr Bug, she had to fight hard to convince herself that it was her partner she was looking at. That she shouldn’t feel what she thought she was feeling. Because her feelings for him had changed without her realising it. Until now.

“M’lady?” he asked, looking questioningly at her because of her long pause after his last comment. This was the place to make a joke. To rebuff his advances again. To leave and next time let things be back to normal. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. 

She hadn’t realised how close they were sitting to each other until now. And because she was sitting up, while he’d reclined back on his elbows, she found that she only needed to lean in and his lips would be tantalisingly close. And then she was leaning in. She was his eyes widen, but there was no way back. It was clear what she was about to do. 

She closed her eyes as their lips met. Surprisingly, he reacted quite quickly. She felt a hand on the back of her neck, holding her in place as his lips moved along with hers. Her own hand found its way to his chest, just over his heart. Which was beating so fast she was afraid it would jump out. She smiled into his lips and deepened the kiss. Being able to feel what this did to him made it so much more exciting. Not that the kiss itself wasn’t nice. It was perfect. Almost too good. Better than it should have been, at any rate.

When she pulled back, she wanted to make a joke about it. But the look in his eyes stopped her. He looked so unsure, so vulnerable. She felt the power she held over him again, not in a pleasant way. She knew a word or a gesture now could break his heart. Again. And maybe this time it would be irrevocable. 

So she opted for the truth. It wouldn’t help matters. It would make everything so much more complicated. But it was the truth. And he deserved that.

“I don’t think you’d have to wait that long anyway,” she said and smiled. 


	19. We Could Have A Chance - LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes love is not enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long note ahead.  
I said I wanted to write mostly happy fics here. A couple of times I slipped and they turned quite angsty. But I never expected something like this.  
In my defense, I'd just seen some season finale spoilers. And Kwami Buster was still fresh in my mind. And then to top it all I heard this song. The perfect song to go with this prompt. I knew it would be torture, but I still had to write it. Yes, I cried while doing so. I want nothing else but to see these two happy so it tore me apart to cause them such pain.  
If you're looking for your fluff fix, look elsewhere. If you're not, I hope you like it.

_How do you always know what I will say?_

_ You seem to know me in the clearest way _

_ I want to run and hide, keep you from finding me _

_ You shouldn't see, what is my mystery _

_ But with the timing right _

_ It could be paradise _

_ To do this now _

_ Would not be right _

_ I was just fine, yes I was fine I thought _

_ I didn't think that I would get so lost _

_ To have and not to hold and to pretend I'm cold _

_ It is a lie because I melt every time _

_ So stay away from me _

_ You're better off to stay as far from lovin' me _

_ Just stay a fantasy _

_ In the dark, in the night and in my dreams _

_ (Nadia Ali - Fantasy) _

It wasn’t fair. He shouldn’t taste so sweet. And kissing him shouldn’t feel so good. Ladybug didn’t know what she’d thought when she’d agreed to that. Or the answer was the very obvious one - she hadn’t been thinking. This could have been a good idea only if it was a dream. And it wasn’t, that much was clear. Because no matter how many times she’d dreamt of doing this, it had never been that good. Damn, how was she supposed to forget this ever happened? How do you forget something like this?

The way he was kissing her was everything she needed and everything she couldn’t have. Not now. 

She hadn’t realised she was crying but when they finally broke apart, she found that tears were streaming down her face. How could something so beautiful hurt so much?

Her knees already felt weak from the kiss and the added weight of all the feelings easily pushed her to the ground. She was a sobbing mess in a matter of seconds. Chat was probably in full panic mode, some distant part of her thought, but she didn’t have the strength to deal with his pain too. Not yet. Hers was overwhelming enough.

She felt him kneel next to her and wrap his arms around her. She was sobbing so hard that he probably realised that talking would have to wait. He felt so solid, so calm next to her that at first she didn’t realise where the wet drops in her hair were coming from. Oh God, he was crying too, she realised. Seeing her like that must have been a clear sign that whatever happened from now on wouldn’t be good. She hated herself for hurting him like this. She hated the Miraculous for bringing them together in the first place. And then for making this impossible. 

After what felt like hours, she felt she had no more strength to cry. Maybe later, when she was alone, she would give in to the need to cleanse all the sorrow. But for now, she’d shed enough tears. She didn’t know what to say though. Nothing felt adequate for the moment. It wasn’t fair that they had to deal with this. What had they done to deserve such pain? They’d simply fallen in love.

“I’m sorry,” she started. Simple but true. Her voice was hoarse from all the crying she’d done. She cleared her throat and added, “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“You wanted to,” came his simple reply. The truth again. But what a painful truth. His voice was raspy too. And still heavy with tears.

She had yet to look into his eyes. She didn’t know how she’d deal with seeing all the pain in them. She knew she couldn’t hide her own, it was already too late for that. Her bout of crying had made everything perfectly clear.

“Damn right I wanted to. But it was still wrong. Because how am I supposed to forget this? It was bad enough before, now it’s so much worse.” Where was Oblivio when she needed him? Them. Whatever.

“Why do you want to forget?” There was no accusation in his voice. Only resignation. 

“Chat,” she said, finally lifting her head. The raw hurt written all over his face almost broke her again. But she still had to say it. “We should pretend it never happened. You have to understand. If I let myself, I’d love you.” It was a little white lie. Knowing that she already loved him wouldn’t help him in the least. “But I can’t. We could have a chance in a perfect world, without Hawk Moth, without danger, without secret identities. In this one, we can’t have that.”

Her voice broke on the last word. She didn’t know how they could recover from this. They say the human heart is very resilient. It can break so many times and still continue beating. But it felt so hard. Finding the strength to move on. Dealing with her own pain and his. Because she could never leave him to deal with this on his own. 

“So it’s best to leave this to fantasies,” she finished after a minute. 

His eyes never left hers, searching for a sign that this could be salvaged. That there was hope. They wouldn’t find it. She knew. She’d always known. That was the reason she’d fought so hard. It had been futile from the very beginning. But she’d somehow soldiered on. She’d known she couldn’t allow herself to fall in love with him. There was no way for them to be together. 

“You know our identities must remain secret at all cost. And I…I can’t imagine us being together without knowing who the other one is. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us,” she said.

He understood, that was clear. Even if he wanted it to be otherwise.

“Also, it would be too hard to hide so much from each other. One of us will slip eventually. And we can’t risk that. You’re the best partner I could ask for, Chat. You know me so well.” Too well, she feared some times. Like no one else could. “We’ve learned to fight together, to trust each other. I don’t want to lose it. And if we somehow find each other’s identities, we’d have to give up our Miraculouses, you know.”

She couldn’t allow the treacherous thought that if they did, they could be together, to form in her mind. They’d been chosen, they had to do what was demanded from them. 

“So, this is it?” He asked. His voice sounded hollow. Like all emotion had drained from it. 

“This is it. This is why I tried to keep you at a distance from the beginning. Why I didn’t want you to fall in love with me. Because I knew what it’d cost you. And me.”

She’d thought her tears had dried out. But there they were again. She’d hoped so much they’d avoid that. This heartache. But he’d fallen too easily, he hadn’t even tried to stop it. And she had been helpless. At first it had seemed easy. Joke, deflect, continue. But this had quickly turned to pretend, fight. Until it was too late. 

“I guess I’d see you in my dreams. I don’t think I can do anything to help that,” he said. A hopeless attempt for a joke.

“I don’t think I can too,” she said, gasping. She turned around. She had to leave before it all became too much again. It wouldn’t be easier away from him. It would be harder. But she didn’t want him to see her like that. It would hurt him too much. He’d already seen more than he should have.

And hopefully, in time it would get better. It had to. They had a duty to fulfil. Their feelings were the price to pay. 

“I love you,” she heard behind her. It was a caress. The sweetest music to her ears. And also the sharpest pain in her heart. He didn’t wait for an answer. He’d already left. 

So there was no way for him to hear her answer.

“I love you, Chat.” It was drowned in the tears that clouded her vision all the way home. That would be her trusted companion for a while. 


	20. You Can't Give More Than Yourself - Ladrien

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien gets fed up with the preferential treatment he receives from Ladybug when he's himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd really love to see a Ladrien moment when he starts wondering why Ladybug acts so different around him.  
Enjoy!

They were on the run from a villain. Again. And the reason was that Adrien couldn’t transform with Ladybug right next to him. And she didn’t want to leave him alone, so they were at an impasse.

She pulled him behind a large metal structure that provided some shelter on the rooftop they’d dropped at.

“We’ll wait here,” Ladybug said. “Chat Noir should be here soon,” she muttered under her breath, more for her benefit than his. She was calling him again. He was quickly getting fed up with it. He felt so helpless and useless, just sitting there. 

“Why are you doing this? I’m a liability. You should go there and fight the villain, not babysit me. I can look after myself.” 

He hadn’t meant to sound so bitter. But it really felt like that at times. He failed to see the point of her being so overprotective with him. Was it because of his failure as Aspik? Maybe to an extent, but she’d been like that before too, he remembered. 

“I.. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you, Adrien,” she said and looked away, obviously not fully comfortable with what she’d said. 

“But I’m not your responsibility! That is, I’m not more important than all the other people out there, at risk of being hit by the villain.” 

“Well, I feel responsible. But you wouldn’t understand.”

“I’m not a superhero, of course I can’t see things the way you do. But I’m trying to make sense of it.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that… no matter how much I give, it never seems enough, you know? I’m always afraid that I’ll fail someone. Someone important. Like you.” As she said this, her cheeks seemed to redden. He really wanted to get to the bottom of this. She acted.. differently around Adrien. That was the truth. 

“No matter what you want to do or people expect from you, you can’t give more than yourself. And even that is too much. No one is worth you risking yourself for them. You’re the important one, don’t you see? You should take better care of yourself.”

Maybe it was too much for Adrien to tell her that. But he never got the chance to tell her as Chat. So any opportunity was welcome. He really worried about her. She was wearing herself out.

“That’s so sweet of you,” she said with a soft smile. “You kind of remind me of Chat. He sometimes tries to tell me something like this, but I never have the patience to hear him out.” She chuckled. Yeah, exactly. While she seemed to have all the patience in the world for Adrien. How was this possible? She also didn’t seem to mind in the least that she was kind of stranded with him. He wouldn’t mind being in her company usually, he longed for this actually, but having a villain at large while they talked and did nothing useful meant that it wasn’t the right moment. 

“I’m trying to help even if it’s only by listening and offering unasked for advice,” he said, trying not to sound too desperate. He really wanted to do something But didn’t know what. 

“You’re one talking about taking better care of yourself. You already did more than you should. You shouldn’t risk your life like that, you know. Like earlier.” She looked visibly uncomfortable as she remembered. 

Well, he had been quite reckless when he’d pushed her out of the villain’s way. But what was he supposed to do? Just stand there and watch her get hurt? No chance.

“I just did what I had to do. It worked, right? You’re ok.”

“And you find it hard to understand why I consider you my responsibility! You’re not supposed to take such risks because of me. It’s too dangerous. You’re vulnerable, you could be seriously hurt. You’re not a superhero, as you said. Chat is the one who protects me.”

And when he wasn’t there? Or she wasn’t supposed to know that he was there? 

“I can’t just stand there, being useless,” he answered almost angrily. 

“Well, we agree to disagree then. I’m telling you though, don’t take on Chat’s responsibilities. It’s hard enough for me to worry about him all the time.”

It warmed his heart to know that she cared so much about him. But it was still unfair. He could take care of himself.

“So he could do stupid things but I can’t, just because he’s a superhero?”

“When you say it like that… I don’t want any of you to do stupid things. But he does them to protect me, to save me, and he’s better equipped to do it than you. Apart from that fact, I worry about you as much as I do about him.” This fact seemed to confuse her for a moment, as if it didn’t make sense or she hadn’t realised it before. 

“Great. Just great.” He knew he was pouting, which was childish. But he couldn’t help it.

“Oh, I can’t believe you can act so much like him. I never expected this of you,” she huffed. 

What was he supposed to say to this?

“Still, you’re not him. So that’s that,” she added.

“What if I am?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. And then he realised what a big mistake that was. 

Ladybug looked so shocked that he was worried about her. Then she started laughing! She was laughing. 

“What’s so funny?” he asked, unsure.

“You, being Chat? That’s the biggest joke I’ve ever heard,” she managed to say before she started laughing again.

He didn’t know on whose behalf to feel offended. She clearly thought he was joking. Which was not a bad thing. But it also didn’t help in their situation. And in their argument. So he did the next stupid thing. 

“Plagg, claws out,” he said. Right there. In front of her. Plagg had no other option but to do as told. So in a second he was Chat Noir. Looking into Ladybug’s unblinking, unbreathing face. 

“M’lady? Sorry about that,” he said, ashamed and worried all of a sudden. She was going to kill him. He’d blown his cover on his own. 

She looked like she was waking from a dream. She shook her head violently and then it was his turn to be shocked. Because she grabbed his face and kissed him on the lips. Briefly. Softly. It was over too soon. And then she said,

“I’m going to kill you for this later, kitty.” Just like he’d expected. But how could a threat be mixed with fondness? In her voice and expression it seemed it could. .

“What was the kiss for then?” he just had to ask. He couldn’t help himself. 

Her sly smile made his heart beat even faster than it already was. And that was fast. 

“I’ll let you stew for a while, wondering about this. But there will be time for talking later, too. Let’s go catch that akuma.” 

And they were off. 


	21. Now? Now You Listen To Me? - Marichat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette wakes up in her own bed but she's not alone as she should be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter of the week from the first prompts that I missed. I had a lot of fun writing this one! Poor Marinette.  
I hope you like it!

Marinette turned around in her sleep, but didn’t judge the distance right. She was still asleep, but knew her bed well. So she expected to at best end up crashing into her big kitty pillow (which she sometimes dislodged in her sleep) or at worst, end up meeting the wall beside her bed. However, she was really perplexed by what actually happened, which was neither. Unless her kitty pillow was now made of leather? Or her wall had become a lot softer? 

A tentative hand was brought up to do some exploration before she decided to open her eyes. Hm, ok, no, the wall was most definitely not softer. But it was now made of rock solid muscle it seemed. And it was warm. And it had a heartbeat.

Her eyes flew open in shock. This was no wall. It was Chat! What was Chat doing in her bed? Admittedly, she’d been dreaming about him. But since when did the person you dream of just manifest in your bed out of the blue? If this actually happened it could be quite embarrassing for both parties.

Her eyes moved up to his face. It was so peaceful in his sleep. Seeing his hair look even more messed up than usual brought a small smile to her face. And then realisation hit again. Said hair along with said face were lying on her pillow. In her bed. 

And then her eyes finally focused on his lips and the truth dawned on her. She’d been kissing those lips. She’d ruffled that hair. This was no weird a dream becomes reality thing. There was a reason for him being in her bed. While she didn’t exactly remember falling asleep next to him, it must have happened. She’d been so tired. And she hadn’t wanted to let him go. And oh. She’d ended up spending the night with him. Er. Sleeping with him? This was not going well. Was there an innocent enough term for this, she thought, feeling her cheeks burn up. 

She could still feel the steady beating of his heart under her hand. It hadn’t changed, indicating that its owner had woken up. So when she saw the lips she was looking at move, she almost jumped out of her skin. 

“Are you done with your inspection?” he mumbled sleepily. 

She was just looking at him! Ok, and her hand was on his chest. But how in hell did he know what she was doing?

“I can practically feel your eyes move over me,” he drawled, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Those lips… Damn, Marinette, get a grip! You would have thought that after kissing him quite a few times you wouldn’t swoon at the mere sight of his lips, she scolded herself! Yes, now it’s worse, now I know how they feel and how they taste, a tiny voice in her head reminded herself. 

The lips were now smirking, drawing her eyes to their owner’s. 

“Distracted much?” he asked teasingly. 

She finally composed herself enough to respond.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, trying to sound calm and collected. Not the mess she was right now. Finding him in her bed early in the morning was not good for her mental state. She was just getting used to the fact that they were together. She was taking baby steps. Trying to ease herself into it. And now boom! This. It was too much. 

“Hey, there is nothing wrong with looking and admiring the view,” he shot back. “I’m doing it too,” he said, voice turning soft, and a gloved hand caressed her cheek. 

She couldn’t help it. Her eyes closed on their own. She was absolutely weak for small touches like this. It was all still so new. And he was so sweet. She hated giving him the satisfaction of knowing he had this effect on her. But she couldn’t help it. 

“I’m sorry about the early morning surprise,” he added and she looked at him again. He did look like he was sorry. “After you fell asleep last night, I knew I had to go but couldn’t bring myself to do it. And then I thought I’d take a nap and leave later… And here we are. I better leave now though, unless you want your parents to catch me here.”

This was enough to bring her out of her love trance. Her parents! Oh God!

“Oh God! Go, go! I totally forgot about them!” she said frantically, while still trying to keep her voice low in case they heard her.

“Calm down, Marinette. It’s still early,” he said. Still looking in no hurry at all. 

“But how could we be so careless? What if my mum had come in to check on me?” It didn’t bear thinking. This would be a disaster. 

“Now? Now you listen to me? It was you who couldn’t let me go last night. “Stay, Chat, please. This feels so good!” Does that sound familiar?” He teased her with a soft smile.

Her cheeks were on fire again. She’d said that, hadn’t she? Forgetting about her parents and all. As if inviting him into her room wasn’t dangerous enough. No, she had to go and cuddle him in her bed, not wanting to let him go. It had felt so good… To have him only for herself for a while, in the comfort of her bed. Not on some random rooftop.

A light kiss on her lips brought her back from her musings.

“I’m equally to blame, you know. I didn’t want to go either. Even though I knew it was dangerous. We were lucky I guess.”

After he said that he got up, clearly intending to leave. It was clear he was doing it for her peace of mind. He didn’t want her to worry. And she was terrified of the possibility of being caught. It would be bad enough for her parents to catch her in bed with Adrien. To see Chat there would be beyond catastrophic. No way to explain that. They’d indeed been lucky. 

“I’m not at my best in the mornings, Adrien, I’m sorry,” she said, by way of explanation for her strange behavior. It was actually a combination of sleepiness, the effect he had on her and being scared. But he understood that. 

“It’s ok, bugaboo. You’re adorable in the morning, actually. I’d love to see you like that again,” he said wistfully. It was a good thing she was sitting down, she was sure her knees would have gone weak at his words. Always a charmer, her kitty. 

A quick kiss on his lips and she said,

“Tonight?” 

There was longing in his eyes now. As if he couldn’t wait. And he hadn’t even left yet. They were absolutely hopeless. Hopelessly in love.

“See you later,” he said and left.

Leaving Marinette to question her life choices. 


	22. Patience Is Not Something I’m Known For - Plikki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plagg and Tikki share their pain from living with two lovesick and oblivious teenagers and come up with a plan to change that

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is technically cheating. This is not part of the love square. But when I saw this prompt I couldn't resist! Also, do you remember Chapter 3 where Marinette was wondering if Plagg and Tikki were playing a prank on them? I just needed to write them coming up with that plan.  
I hope you like it! Tomorrow we're back to the love square, I promise!

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up, Tikki,” Plagg moaned, diving straight into the wedge of Camembert he had with him in an attempt to drown his sorrow.

Well, maybe he was overreacting. But his owner and Ladybug/Marinette were really getting on his nerves. The fact that he was on a super secret meeting with Tikki was indicative of his state of mind. And the fact that Tikki had actually agreed to that meeting said a lot about hers. 

It hadn’t been hard to arrange. With their owners spending most of their days together without their knowledge, it was pretty easy for them to sneak a word here and there. But what they had to discuss had required special planning, so they'd sneaked out after hours. 

“Seriously, sugarcube, of all the teenagers in Paris, how did we end up with the two who would fall in love with each other and then make our existence hell because they don’t know that the person they love is also the person who loves them and… My head hurts when I try to explain this. Living it is even worse,” he continued with his complaints once the cheese was gone. 

Tikki was looking at him with a strange mixture of disgust and pity. He was glad her reaction to the whole mess was so similar to his. 

“I know it’s hard, Plagg. But there is nothing we can do, you know. We have to be patient.”

“Patience... is not something I’m known for. And even if I was, these two would put even the patience of a saint to the test. Speaking of which, don’t tell me you’re not even a little exasperated.”

“I’m not saying it’s nice. I wish this could be resolved in an easy way. But they have to find each other on their own. I’ve tried to nudge my lovesick owner in the right direction a few times, but she’s really hung up on Adrien. And I just want her to be happy so I encourage her… It’s a mess.”

“Tell me about it. I’ve tried dropping hints, small ones or obvious ones that would work on anyone else. But no. My owner is a special kind of oblivious. You know, I was actually so happy when she lied to him about being in love with him. I, of course, saw through that immediately. But still decided to play along. To tell him that it was a great opportunity for him. That it wouldn’t hurt him to give it a try. Just imagine how funny it would have been if he’d actually taken her up on her offer,” he burst out laughing at the image of Adrien going to Marinette as Chat and telling her that he wanted to be with her. Her face would have been priceless! 

“Don’t laugh at them, Plagg. That situation tested my patience too. Especially while I was listening to a monologue about how fickle Chat Noir was, falling for her just because she'd confessed. Was this how much his love for Ladybug was worth, blah, blah. And do you know how bad I felt when he told her that he’s in love with Ladybug? She was jumping for joy after that and I was the only one who knew that it had been Adrien who’d rejected her. What's worse, she hurt him too. Because I know it must have been hard for him to do that.”

“You’re right. It was. He felt terrible. That’s why I wanted to avoid it. I almost told him, Tikki! No, I actually said it out loud. It’s just that he didn’t hear me!”

‘What?” She squeaked.

“Well, I said he wouldn’t be going after two girls at the same time since they were actually one and the same person. Even if he’d heard me, he probably wouldn’t have understood what I meant. He can be very deliberately blind and stupid sometimes. He just doesn’t want to see some things. Like his own feelings for Marinette. If I hear “She’s just a friend” one more time, I can’t be held accountable for my actions. He only has eyes for Ladybug and nobody else.“

“Same here, same here. I really wish she’d give him a chance, you know. Things would be so much easier that way. They wouldn’t be so miserable all the time. They’d be better superheroes once they have this whole mess out of the way. But I don’t see this happening any time soon. She’s too stubborn.”

“That’s what I’m telling you. It’ll be for their own good if they finally get together. But it’s all such a mess that we can’t expect them to get out of it on their own. We’re doomed if we don’t do anything to bring them closer. With or without the masks.”

“You have any ideas? That won’t make it too dangerous.”

“Well, as a matter of fact I do,” he said and grinned. “We can also make it look very unintentional.”

“Tell me,” she said, sounding eager.

“How about we set it up in such a way that they end up with the wrong Miraculous again? I had a very distinct feeling that Marinette was a bit too tempted by my boy’s Ladybug suit. But she stifled it before it could grow. So, maybe they just need more time together as Lady Noire and Mr. Bug.”

“This doesn’t sound so bad. It wouldn’t hurt to try. And there is nothing wrong with them getting used to each other’s powers. It may come in handy one day.”

“So you agree, sugarcube? It will be so much fun!” he said, suddenly happier than he’d been for quite some time. 

“I’ll get back to you. For now, I better go home. You know we shouldn’t leave them alone for too long.”

“You’re right. Well, see you soon, I guess,” he said and turned to go.

“Oh, and Plagg?” Tikki’s voice made him turn around.

“You’re such a softie. You just want to see them happy.” she said and planted a kiss on his unsuspecting cheek. Wait, do cats have cheeks? Well, whatever. 

It was good that he wasn’t physically capable of blushing. But anyway, she was gone before he could react. 


	23. I Could Really Eat Something - Marichat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette gets caught up defending her alter ego and it gets suspicious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hm, when I write Marichat it's either very innocent or they can't wait to get their hands on each other. I sense a conflict here. Huh.  
Also, food! #LetChatEat2019  
Anyway, enjoy!

The moment Chat let her step down on her balcony, she could see him sway on his feet. This was worse than Marinette had thought. She hoped it hadn’t been too much, asking him to take her home. It had seemed like the only choice she had at the time.

Chat had seemed off during the whole fight. Which for him said a lot, since he was usually bouncing with energy. So she’d done her best to spare him, taking the brunt for him. She was particularly happy that she’d found a way to defeat the villain without his Cataclysm. That way, she would have time to take care of him afterwards.

Tricking him into taking taking Marinette home had required some manipulation and lying on her part. Things she didn’t like doing, but were necessary this time. 

After the fight was over, she’d let her worry show. Telling him that he looked tired, advising him to sit down and rest for a while before heading home. She’d even allowed herself to give him a fond look and tell him to take better care of himself. Then she was off. Only to return a minute later to, oh surprise, find Chat where she’d just left him but as Marinette.

Of course, he’d really been surprised to see her there. She’d had to come up with an excuse. But he’d bought that. It pained her to make him exert himself, not when he was so weak already, but she couldn’t get around that. Thankfully, they’d been close to her home. 

Once they were there, she was quick to put into action the second part of her plan - feed Chat and be there for him. 

She put a hand on his shoulder and said,

“Chat. I can see you’re tired. Since I haven’t heard any beeping, I guess you have time?” He just nodded. “Well, can you stay then? I’ll just go fetch something for us to eat and then we can talk. How does that sound?”

He managed a small smile and said.

“I could really eat something. Thanks, Marinette. That’s so kind of you.”

“No big deal. Stay here.”

When she returned a few minutes later, with treats from the bakery, she found him sitting crossed-legged on the floor. He was staring into the distance, unseeing. 

“So, eat up and then we can talk, if you feel like it,” she told him. She put the full plate in front of him and then took a seat right next to him. If she seemed too friendly, she had a good excuse. But she needed to be near him, to show him he wasn’t alone.

He took a bite from a croissant and closed his eyes in pleasure. When he swallowed, he looked at her with adoration in his eyes. 

“You’re a lifesaver, Marinette. I hadn’t realised how long it had been since my last meal.”

She let the question form in her eyes. She didn’t want to impose too much.

“I guess I got distracted. It happens. I just have… so much to do, usually back to back. Usually I don’t skip meals but it was a particularly busy day. I hadn’t realised how tired and hungry I was until evening came and then there was this attack. And yeah, here I am now. That’s the sad tale, I’m afraid. Nothing too interesting,” he finished before taking another bite.

She was amazed that he could talk about this so nonchalantly. Like his well-being wasn’t a main concern for him or something. This was bad. She scolded herself for neglecting her kitty. He needed to put his safety and good health first. He needed to take care of himself. Otherwise.. It didn’t bear thinking. 

“Chat,” she said softly, a hand finding his free one. She was definitely close to overstepping the boundaries, invisible and undefined as they were between them. She hadn’t really done that as Ladybug. It seemed too intimate. But again, she believed she could get away with it. Marinette had an excuse. “You need to take better care of yourself. Being a superhero doesn’t seem like an easy job to me. And you need to be in top form for it. I’m sure Ladybug would tell you the same thing,” she added for good measure.

“Ladybug doesn’t really care that much,” he mumbled after another bite.

He must have seen the disbelief and a little hurt in her eyes because he backtracked. 

“I didn’t mean… Oh, well, we have a complicated relationship. She is usually all business you know. Let’s take care of immediate danger and be on our way. Separate ways. I don’t think she wants to burden herself with useless things. As long as I do my job right, she has no need to worry about me.”

“And when you don’t?” she challenged. She was still appalled that this was the way he thought of her. Did she really seem that cold to him? Had she created a distance between them she failed to see for herself? He was her partner and best friend. She couldn’t allow this to happen. But then again, she never gave him an opportunity to talk to her about this. She was always in a hurry to leave. Oh God, she’d really been neglecting him.

“Well, thankfully, there are wonderful people like you to take care of me,” he said and smiled. He already looked better. It was good to see that there wasn’t anything wrong with him apart from hunger and fatigue. She let him eat in peace for a while. But then she got back to where they’d left off their conversation.

“I’m still sure Ladybug cares very much about you. Maybe she doesn’t show it. Well, you’re the one who said that your relationship is complicated. But you’re still partners and friends. I’m sure she’d do the same thing for you,” she gestured to the empty plate in front of them, “if she could.”

It was the truth. She really loved him very much, there was no doubt about that. It may not be romantic love... but whatever it was, it was stronger than she'd expected. This explained why she wanted to convince him. So the problem was not in the lack of feelings on her part. It was just that she hadn't found the right way to show him. 

“Don’t get me wrong. I know she cares. She’s a great partner to have. But she has her own reasons for keeping things between us more formal.”

“I think you’re reading too much into it. She may be serious and all. But she’s your friend and will be there for you, you need to realise that.”

She didn’t realise before it was too late that her words were too forceful. That she must have come across as a little angry without any obvious reason. And Chat was better now and back to his usual perceptive self. The look in his eyes told her she’d messed up.

“You seem to care very much about this. About my relationship with Ladybug,” he said slowly.

She got up to her feet quickly, turning away from him. Trying to cover up her fluster.

“I… just don’t want you to feel unappreciated. I’m sure Ladybug cares very much about you. You should know that too,” she said, still a little shaken. Why was he so stubborn?

Suddenly he was right behind her. She turned to face him, wondering what he had in mind.

“Why are you so sure?” he whispered.

“Because she would be a fool not to,” she said truthfully. “And none of us would like to think of Ladybug as a fool, right?”

She tried to lighten the mood. But it was already too late. His eyes never left hers, something brewing in them. 

“If I didn’t know better I’d hazard a guess that you’re Ladybug, seeing as you know her so well.” She gulped. “But since this is not an option… It seems like you’re trying too hard to convince me that she cares about me just as much as you. I don’t know why you’re doing it but we know this is not the case.” Right, he hadn’t forgotten about that.

When his hand cradled her cheek, she gasped. She hadn’t even noticed him move.

“Chat... “ she said. “You’re in love with Ladybug.” She had no idea why she felt the need to say that. To reassure herself or him? 

“But it’s you who’s here now. And I’m a mere human too,” he almost growled before he leaned in and kissed her. How could this be happening? It made no sense. She tried to think, in vain. Her self-control had been shot to pieces the moment his lips touched hers it seemed. Because she realised she was kissing him back without making a conscious decision to do so. It was like the most natural thing in the world. Of course, she’d kissed him before. But was this a good enough reason for this to feel so right? So good. 

Was she able to let go because she wasn’t Ladybug? Those invisible boundaries between them were so easy to cross when he didn’t know who she was. A tiny voice reminded her that there was only one logical reason for her to do what she was doing now - she wanted to. 

When they finally broke the kiss, after what seemed like quite some time, judging by their elaborate breathing, he rested his forehead on hers. She didn’t know when she’d put her hands on his shoulders. For support or to bring him closer? And his arm was around her waist, holding her close to him too. 

“It’s too late to say this was a thank you, friendly kiss, right?” he said, his eyes boring into her. 

She wanted to say that of course it wasn’t too late. And that’s what it was, a thank you kiss. They could pretend it never happened and get back to the way they were before.

“Why is this happening now?” She asked instead. Wow, where was her filter? Had his kiss made her totally forget herself?

“Maybe it’s just time for it to happen,” he said as if realising it for the first time too. It wasn’t a good enough reason but it would have to do for now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, I'm busy sobbing into a corner because I still can't recover from that Chat Blanc trailer. I'm terrified, people. I can't stand seeing Adrien hurt, how am I gonna survive that???


	24. Just Follow Me, I Know The Area - Adrienette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien find themselves in a dangerous part of Paris and have to get creative

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have 6 days left and I have two extra prompts I need to post in order to finish with 31 on the 31st. So here is the first, the next will be in a few days.   
Post-reveal Adrienette, no surprise here. This was fun to write. I Hope you like it!

There were some disadvantages to being a superhero. Especially one whose time ran out after five minutes. If you happened to be far away from home during a battle and then had literally no time left before detransforming, it sometimes left you stranded someplace you very likely didn’t know and with a long walk home ahead of you. What’s worse, it could happen at night too. 

Thankfully, it hadn’t happened all that much. Villains usually preferred popular tourist spots, where they would have enough audience for their crazy act and demands. It wasn’t often that they’d end up in a dark side street, in an unknown part of the city just as their transformations wore off. Marienette was so grateful in such moments that she had Adrien with her. It had been so much harder when she had to do this on her own, always trying to sneak away from him and hide. 

So there they were. In some godforsaken part of Paris, it seemed, Marinette thought as she looked around.

“What are we going to do?” she asked, concerned. It was getting late and from the look of things they’d need quite some time to get home. 

“Just follow me, I know the area,” Adrien said, taking her hand and dragging her down the street with him.

She just looked at him incredulously.

“Since when?”

“Oh, I think I’d been in this part of the city a time or two on patrol. I suppose you never get this far on you own and I try to steer our joint patrols to better areas, but I’ve happened to pass through here on nights when I needed to clear my head and get as far from home as possible. Don’t look so scandalised. I’ve always been here as Chat.”

“Now, that makes me feel so much better. Since we’re now two helpless civilians in a strange and unfriendly part of Paris. Late in the evening. Just great,” she grumbled. 

“I could always call my bodyguard and he’d come fetch us. But… I think we’ll have trouble explaining why we ended up here in the first place. He’s quite cool usually and it’s not likely to get to my father, but I don’t like to take my chances.”

“Of course. You’re right about that. So we’ll just brave it?” she asked, looking around concerned. They were walking down a somewhat main street now, better lit and with more people there. But it still seemed dangerous.

“I guess walking as far as we can while we wait for Plagg and Tikki to recharge is better than just staying in one place and waiting for something bad to happen to us,” he suggested. 

The kwamis were doing their best but they’d been exhausted at the end of this fight. It had completely drained them. And they always tried to go easy on them. Not use them unless absolutely necessary. Give them time to rest. 

“Are you worried that I can’t protect you in case it’s necessary?” Adrien shot her way with a very Chat-like grin. Of course, he’d use that as an opportunity to play up his strength and bravery. And she didn’t doubt that he’d do anything to protect her even for a second. But he’d have no chance against a group, not a single person (as Adrien that is, she knew he could take on a whole army as Chat.) There was also the fact that his face was pretty easily recognisable which could get them in more trouble actually, if someone decided to pick a fight. 

“Stop it, kitty. This isn’t really about that. You know I feel much better having you here with me. But I still feel uneasy.”

His hold on her hand tightened and he looked at her with a soft smile as they continued down the street. 

And then they saw a gang or something of very big, very frightening looking men and they were coming their way. They couldn’t exactly cross the street at this particular place and there was nowhere else to go. And while there was no reason for them to become a target, Marinette gulped as they walked closer to them.

Then, without a warning, Adrien pushed her gently against a nearby wall, putting his hands on either side of her, to shield her from outside looks. And then he was kissing her. It started softly in order not to startle her, since she hadn’t been in on his intentions. But she caught on pretty quickly and wrapped her arms around him to bring him closer and make it even more authentic. 

They were just a couple making out on a random street, nothing strange. Marinette fought the urge to laugh. But then Adrien deepened the kiss and she gave in to the sensation. Why not make the most of it after all? She tried to ignore reality, to focus on the familiar feeling of Adrien’s lips on hers, on how incredibly sweet he always tasted, something that never ceased to amaze her. 

Just then she heard some rather crude comments from the gang as they passed them by. And while Adrien moved a bit closer to her, there was nothing else as they heard their voices grow distant. 

After another minute, he finally stepped back and after another look at the retreating figures, took her hand and they continued walking down the street.

Marinette still felt a little high on adrenaline and something else. She bit her lip and was amazed by the fact the she could still taste him there. 

“Good call, kitty. Very clever,” she shot his way, with a sly smile. 

“The only thing I could think of at such short notice. I’m glad it was more enjoyable than just standing there and waiting for something bad to happen,” he replied with a grin matching hers. 

But their victory was short-lived. Just as they rounded a corner, they heard some girls calling his name. Some were already taking their phones out. They quickly looked at each other and without a word, turned around and ran.

They were laughing and out of breath by the time he dragged her into a side street. As they stopped, gulping air, Plagg floated between them.

“Let’s get you two out of here, what do you think?” he asked.

It was so untypical of him to offer hassle-free transformations that at first they could only gape at him.

“What? I don’t want to stay here either. Those fangirls scare me to death,” he finished, his tiny body shaking in indignation. 

Marinette and Adrien laughed again for a moment. And then Adrien didn’t lose time transforming. That had been enough excitement for the night. It was time to go home. 


	25. You Keep Me Warm - Adrienette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snippet of domestic bliss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the first time I imagined them as real adults and it felt strangely satisfying. Especially to think that the days of danger and fear are behind them and they are finally free to be happy and have a family.  
I hope you like it!

Marinette lived for simple moments like this. Life was busy, they were always in a hurry from one thing to another. But at times like this, it almost stopped. Ground to a standstill. Giving her a moment to breathe deeply, appreciate every second.

Looking at the small sleeping form in her arms, she felt content. The small human being snuggling in her embrace was a real miracle. Their miracle.

She’d had a pretty extraordinary life and even very young had come to realise that many things that seemed impossible were real. She’d been a superhero for quite a long time. And this in itself was anything but normal or ordinary. So she’d had her fair share of miracles and wonders happening to her over the years. She’d somehow thought she’d seen it all.

But running on rooftops, fighting villains, wielding ancient jewels with exceptional powers, breathing under water, walking on ice, turning into vapour or even flying had nothing on what she’d experienced when she’d welcomed her daughter into the world. Their daughter. Their own miracle. Something they’d created together. A real, tangible manifestation of their love for each other. 

It was too hard for her to wrap her head around it even now. Even holding her in her arms. It all seemed surreal. That her daughter existed because they, two separate people, had found each other and by some stroke of luck had fallen in love. 

She’d also thought she knew what real love was before. After all, with her and Adrien, it wasn’t the classic love story. It was so much more. They’d gone through a lot of confusing situations, hurting each other without realising it, struggling with their feelings and their ever changing relationship - as partners, as friends, as lovers. But against all odds, they’d managed to stay close, to safeguard their unique bond. Because, she’d realised, love wasn’t supposed to be easy. It could be hard, very hard. But if you really believed you were meant to be with a person, you’d fight for it, you’d forgive the misunderstandings, you’d wait as long as you have to. Because it was all worth it in the end. 

The fact was, she’d believed she loved Adrien with her whole heart. And she did. She couldn’t imagine there being space for anyone else there. However, she hadn’t counted on two brilliant green eyes worming their way into her heart the very first moment she looked into them. Not his. But their daughter’s. Soft golden locks, not her husband’s trademark this time, had taken her breath away the first time she caressed the small baby head. 

But her unconditional and unexpectedly fierce love for her daughter somehow didn’t take away from her love for Adrien. It was as if the two co-existed happily in her heart. What’s more, when she looked at her daughter, she was always reminded of her love for Adrien, because she was the fruit of that love. And looking at Adrien, she always saw their little miracle too. 

Peaceful, quiet moments in the dead of night always made her think of the past. About how they’d gotten this far. Made her appreciate everything they had all over again. Because the most precious creature in the world was sleeping in her arms and her other half was in their bed, so close she could hear his soft and steady breathing. Her eyes shifted on their own towards him, expecting to take in his face, peaceful in slumber and a little more than a faint shadow in the night lamp’s light. 

Instead, she found him looking at her, a small smile playing on his lips. When their eyes met, he got up slowly and came to stand next to her. 

“What was it this time?” he whispered as he kissed the top of her head. 

“She was a little restless and needed cuddles,” she answered in a quiet voice. 

“I really don’t know if that isn’t just an excuse for you to hold her and watch her sleep,” he teased her.

Marinette tried not to laugh, so as not to disturb the baby. Their daughter was almost two but was still their baby. After her father placed a soft kiss on her hair, Emma was placed in her crib and tucked in. As Marinette watched her lovingly, she felt Adrien wrap his arms around her. 

“She’s a small angel,” he said, right by her ear and nuzzled her neck.

“Only while she sleeps, you know. The rest of the time, she’s a small body packed with so much energy she simply can’t stop moving and is always up to mischief. She reminds me of someone,” she replied and chuckled.

“I have no idea what you mean,” he said innocently. 

“Yeah, kitty, I’m sure you don’t. It must be another mischievous cat that I have in mind.”

“That cat is retired now, so give it a rest,” he said, his voice teasing.

“Just because you’re no longer running around Paris in a catsuit, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t still Chat Noir. You’ll always be,” she said fondly. 

As she turned around in his arms and looked into his eyes, she felt her heart full to the brim with love. 

“Now. If my excuse is that I want to cuddle with Emma, then why are you up?”

“You keep me warm,” he stated simply. “I felt that you were gone in my sleep and woke up. I just had to see where you were.” 

“Poor kitty. Although that was a blatant lie. It is you who keep me warm. You’re like a furnace.”

He tried to muffle his laughter by burying his face in her hair. Which tickled. And she thought they wouldn’t get back to sleep very soon if they kept going at this rate. And Emma was an early riser, unlike her mother. 

“We better get back to bed. It’s not long until dawn. We’d better sleep while we can. Until the “little angel” turns into a little devil,” she told him as her fingers toyed with his hair. 

He looked at her softly before kissing her. In the faint light, with their daughter sleeping peacefully next to them, it was the sweetest kiss. It said that they had everything they needed. Then he took her hand and led her to their bed. She joked about him keeping her too hot at night, but falling asleep in his arms was still her favourite thing to do. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My little boy loves cuddling early in the morning before turning into a whirlwind of energy, so this was inspired by him ❤


	26. Can You Wait For Me? - LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has nightmares too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was hard to write, but once again it's something I believe is real. That's why I want them to have each other in such moments.   
I hope you like it!

Chat was calling her the moment she transformed. It was urgent. Judging by the noise in the distance, it was a rather destructive akuma. She picked up and started running.

“I’m on my way. Be with you in a few minutes,” she told him. 

“Hurry up, m’lady. This one is angry,” he replied, concern visible on his face. This meant it was really serious. A loud blast could be heard behind him and he turned around.

“Can you wait for me? Don’t do anything stupid. Let’s assess the situation once I get there,” she pleaded with him. She was really worried and knew how rash he could be. 

“Of course, m’lady. See you in a few,” he replied and cut off the connection.

She ran as fast as she could, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. She had a very bad feeling she couldn’t explain. She just wanted to get there as soon as possible.

And still she was late. When she arrived, she found a wasteland. She didn’t know what that akuma’s power was, but it had turned a large portion of the city to rubble in a matter of minutes. She wasn’t sure she wanted to face it. Her phone’s tracker showed that Chat was here. Somewhere under the ruins. She had no choice but to start looking for him. 

And then Plagg flew into her line of vision. A visibly shaken Plagg. Close to tears from the look of it. Terror gripped her heart.

“Plagg, where is Chat?” She was afraid of the answer but needed to know. 

The kwami just looked at her, too heartbroken to answer.

*

Marinette woke up with a gasp. Relieved to be awake. That it had all been just a dream. But her heart was racing, sadness and terror heavy in her stomach. This was by far the worst nightmare she’d had. That Chat was gone. That something she couldn’t repair had happened. Just a dream, just a dream, she chanted as her heartbeat slowly returned to normal. 

*

It was hard but she tried to shake off the feelings from the bad dream. But when she got a very similar call later that day, her reaction was involuntary. She gasped as Chat’s face came on the screen.

“M’lady, are you alright?” he asked, immediately on alert.

“Wait for me. Don’t move!” she barked and ended the call. She was next to him in under a minute. 

Before he could say a thing, she was all over him. Her lips found his on instinct alone, because she had no idea what she was doing. But him being there, in her arms, warm, alive. It was everything. She ended the kiss before he could react. It was selfish of her and so, so wrong. But it had been the only thing that could restore her equilibrium. 

“Just do as you’re told. Let’s get this over with,” she told him. She knew she was rude, which was absolutely uncalled for. And she owed him an explanation. But first they had to deal with that villain. 

“M’lady,” he said simply in agreement, although there was hurt in his eyes. And they were off. 

She was absolutely merciless with that one. The poor man had no idea what hit him. He had no blame, but she needed to vent. Luckily for him, it was over quickly. 

They were back on the rooftop where it had all started. With only a couple of minutes left. 

“I’m sorry, Chat. What I did earlier was unforgivable.” It started ok. But while she thought how to explain her strange behavior, she felt tears pricking her eyes. It was all still so fresh in her mind. “I… I thought I’d lost you…” she said before a sob made it impossible to continue. 

He was at her side in a second, wrapping his arms around her. Slowly rubbing her back as she cried into his shoulder.

“It’s ok, it’s ok,” he kept whispering.

She took a deep breath and looked up at him. There would be time for tears later. Now she had to explain.

“I had this terrible dream last night. That you were waiting for me. But when I got there, the villain… “ she swallowed. “The villain had razed everything to the ground. You were nowhere to be found. And then Plagg appeared and you were... “ 

His hold on her tightened as sobs racked her again.    
“It was just a dream. I’m here. It’s fine,” his soothing voice said in her ear. 

She had very little time left so she pulled herself together and said sternly,

“I can’t imagine what losing you for real would be like. And I don’t want to find out. You mean too much to me, Chat. So if I’m harsh sometimes, if I want you to be more careful. Please, forgive me. I trust you, but I worry too much.”

“It’s ok, m’lady. I understand,” he said, his eyes soft and full of love. 

“About earlier. I shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t fair on you. Can we forget it for the time being? I’m not ready for that talk yet,” she said, turning away. She knew she had to talk about it eventually. Kissing him out of the blue was not a normal reaction. Not if she was so insistent on keeping things between them friendly and professional. Her heart had led her to that. But her mind was not on the same page yet. So it had to wait.

“Of course,” he agreed. He knew very well when not to press her. 

“Take care, ok? I.. I’ll see you soon, I guess,” she said before she left.

She didn’t have the strength to look him in the eyes. She could easily imagine the look on his face.

But she’d deal with that later. For now, the fact that he was alright was enough. She grasped that truth as her lifeline. It was alright as long as she knew he was fine. Everything else could wait. 


	27. I Know You Didn't Ask For This - LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reflections on the reality of having a relationship in the spotlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised I hadn't written LadyNoir from Adrien's POV and this happened. I really, really love writing from his POV.   
Last bonus chapter. Then it's just the last four prompts for the last four days. The end is near.  
Enjoy!

It was hard finding privacy when they were Ladybug and Chat Noir. That is when they were out and about. And when they had something to hide from the public. Which until recently hadn’t been the case. Still, as Adrien sat with his back against a brick wall on a random rooftop, his lady’s head resting on his shoulder, her back against his chest, it felt pretty much like they were alone in the world. They could hardly be seen from the streets and even someone looking up from a higher place would have difficulty seeing them in the darkness. They were finally alone and in no danger of being interrupted by either well-wishers (he loved her parents but how could he relax when he knew they could come up to her room any minute) or people who intentionally caused them discomfort. That’s what they’d craved for after the day they’d had. 

“I’m really sorry, Marinette,” he said, his face buried in her hair. It wasn’t too much just to want to be like that with her, was it? To breathe her in, to enjoy her warmth seeping into him, to just be. 

She turned sideways and tilted her head up to look at him. A soft smile played on her lips. Making him want to kiss her again. And again. And he’d already done that a few times since they’d gotten here. When would it be enough? When would this aching feeling inside of him be even a little bit sated? He couldn’t imagine not wanting to kiss her anytime, anyplace, whenever he laid eyes on her. 

Which was exactly the reason they had gotten into trouble in the first place. His excessive affection shown at inappropriate times and places. 

“It’s ok, kitty,” she said, brushing a soft kiss against his lips. It instantly soothed all the worries and concerns he had about being too affectionate with her. Whenever she did anything like that, he could let out a breath, relax, feel better. It wasn’t just him. She felt the same need too. 

They still had a long way to go before shedding some of their insecurities about each other. All the hiding, suppressing of feelings and feeling unseen, unappreciated on her part, and the heartbreak, rejection and hopelessness on his part had taken their toll. They couldn’t expect things to just fall into place after more than a year of their tortuous love story. And yet, they’d made quite a progress over the past few weeks. 

Giving some time to themselves before telling anyone else that they were together had been the wisest decision they’d taken. It had been hard, hiding and pretending, but it had been worth it. They’d grown used to each other in this new dynamic, they felt more at ease with each other, they learned to accept their own feelings, express them more easily. And most importantly, they learned to rely on each other, not just as superhero partners, but as girlfriend and boyfriend too. They now knew that no matter what happened, they had each other. They could deal with anything together. 

Of course, they’d had no way of knowing that their newfound certainty and trust in each other would be put to the test so soon. But it kind of made sense that the real test would be their very first day of taking being a couple out into the open, in front of people.

It had all started so innocently. As they were walking to school, he just took her hand in his. He did it without thinking. And she let her hand in his without thinking either. It was a real miracle they hadn’t made such a slip earlier. All it took was forgetting for a second that they weren’t supposed to be seen as a couple. 

As they arrived at school, reason caught up with him and he dropped her hand instantly. But it was already too late. Someone, somewhere, had seen them, caught them on camera and the photo was making the rounds in a matter of seconds. That was all it took. Because of who he was, of course. Who would miss the opportunity to be the first to snap a photo of Adrien Agreste and his girlfriend? 

He understood this the moment they entered the school and everyone’s eyes followed them as they walked in. 

He shot a worried glance in Marinette’s direction. She’d noticed the attention too. As soon as they reached Alya and Nino, it was clear what the cause for this was. Alya brandished her phone with a photo of them, much like she’d done with another photo a while ago, Adrien couldn’t help remembering. There was no point denying after that. Everyone was talking about that, people were pointing at them. Adrien decided that there was no point in hiding anymore and one look at Marinette confirmed that she agreed with him. So he took her hand in his again, this time consciously, and didn’t let go of it for the rest of the day, unless it was absolutely necessary. Let people talk.

And talk they did. They heard snippets of conversations, some were reading comments off the Internet, some were just discussing them. He was used to the attention by now. And to think that it had also died down considerably since the first time he went to school. People were used to seeing him there. But now, with the latest development, he was all the talk again. Along with Marinette. Who was definitely not used to this. So he was worried.

She didn’t say a thing, just put on a brave smile and pretended not to hear the comments concerning her. And she pretended not to see people taking photos of them at every opportunity. There was no need for paparazzi nowadays, Adrien thought, since everyone could take a photo, post it online and it could be seen by everyone. 

At the end of the day, they parted without a word. They were both too tired and also knew that they’d meet later when they could talk freely.

And here they were now. Adrien felt guilty for putting Marinette in such a situation. But a part of him knew it had been inevitable. He just needed to know if it’d happened too early, if their relationship was still too fragile to withstand the attention it was getting.

“I know you didn’t ask for this,” he told her. “And I’m sorry there was no way to avoid it.”

“Yes, maybe when I fell in love with you, I didn’t take into consideration your celebrity status and how it would impact our eventual relationship. But seriously, you’re overthinking this. I knew it would happen sooner or later. It’s better now that it’s out of the way actually. One less thing to worry about,” she said. 

“I never wanted to worry you, m’lady,” he said miserably. 

“Oh, I didn’t mean that as an accusation. It’s not you that’s causing it after all. People who think its their business to poke their noses into other people’s relationships are the problem. But I don’t really care about what they have to say. It doesn’t matter. You seem to forget that we have a very separate celebrity status as Ladybug and Chat Noir. And I’ve already heard all there is to hear in relation to that. People will talk, no matter what. It’s jarring to experience this as Marinette, at school, doing normal things. But I’ll get used to this,” she finished nonchalantly. The great thing was that she looked like she meant it. She wasn’t just saying it to make him feel better. Maybe he’d been unduly concerned about this. 

“You know what’s the only thing that matters to me?” she said, turning towards him again. 

“What?”

“That I’m with you. It doesn’t matter what people think or say. I’m not going to lie, bad words may get to me sometimes. But as long as I know that you’re in this with me, I can deal with it,” she concluded with a smile.

He looked into his favourite blue eyes and had to agree. The fact that he finally had her in his arms was what mattered. Nothing else.

“I want you to always keep in mind one thing - I love you. Never forget this. I’ll keep reminding you on a daily basis, of course,” he said with a grin. 

“I love you too, Adrien,” she said and kissed him again. And again.That was all he needed for the moment. 


	28. Enough! I Heard Enough! - BugNoire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a press conference (sort of) gets too personal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now BugNoire from Adrien's POV. This one was so much fun! I hope you like it!

They knew it would happen. It just happened earlier than they’d hoped for. 

The first time they’d been lucky. It had happened too fast and also no one had wanted to go anywhere near that giant doll gone haywire. So there was actually no footage of their time as Lady Noire and Mr. Bug. However, people had still caught sight of them and it was all over the city and of course the Internet in a matter of hours. Everyone knew about that, everyone wanted to see for themselves what the new superheroes looked like. 

They’d talked about that afterwards. They were really amazed that people took so much interest in that unfortunate turn of events, as they called it. But they could understand to an extent. They must be curious because after being used to Ladybug and Chat Noir, now it would be interesting to see their roles swapped. 

Adrien himself could have told them that there hadn’t been that much to see anyway. They hadn’t missed anything interesting. He had been a disaster as Mr. Bug, his confidence totally backfiring, leaving him with a Lucky Charm he didn’t know how to use, his time quickly running out, and no plan at the ready. 

LadyNoire hadn’t fared much better, if he had to be honest. She’d acted too confidently as well, using Cataclysm on the sentimonster when neither of them knew how this would affect it. Yes, he’d managed to capture the akuma but it was not thanks to his own efforts. And then a little humbled and a bit ashamed, they’d resorted to thinking about a plan and executing it together. But ultimately, it had been Lady Noire who’d saved the day. He’d told her that he couldn’t do it without her and it was the truth.

Although he had been sad to bid Tikki goodbye, he’d decided it was for the better. He was Chat Noir and it was better to stick to that. So he was really surprised when he found himself playing Mr. Bug’s role again. 

This time it was different. The villain was elusive and they’d had to walk among civilians to get him to come out and defeat him. So of course, word had gotten out pretty quick that Mr. Bug and Lady Noire were there. People had taken photos. And unsurprisingly, once the fight was over, there were reporters waiting for them. 

The first time they’d been lucky. The second time, their luck ran out. 

As they walked towards the gathered crowd, their eyes met. It was funny how much they could tell each other just with their eyes. This time it was a two-way agreement - Keep it short, keep it polite, get us out of here. And on her part - Make a joke so that they get off my back. It was a simple enough plan.

“So, Lady Noire, Mr. Bug. Congrats on your latest success and can you answer a few questions for us?” a young woman asked. 

“Of course, but please keep it short, we don’t have much time left,” Adrien said, pointing to his earrings. 

And then there was Alya. Of course. How could she miss her favourite superheroes? And the big scoop as well. 

“First, first!” she said, jumping up and down. They both smiled at her. “What’s with the names?”

He looked at Lady Noire at this and they both burst out laughing. 

“Ladies first,” he told her and winked.

“Oh, well. It kind of happened. He was the first one to come up with mine. And to be honest, I’m not perfectly happy with it. Because it kind of sounds like I’m married to Chat.” They all laughed at that. And it hadn’t even crossed his mind! “But it suits me, I guess. And about Mr. Bug. Please, I had to come up with something real quick, I went for simple and straightforward,” she finished. Looking at him and deciding it was the perfect time to wink back at him, at their private joke. Oh, she was hilarious.

“But then again, she also calls me Bugaboy, which I love, because unlike some people I have a sense of humour,” he threw in and was rewarded with a pout from her. 

“We can all see the the team dynamics haven’t changed much because of the swapped roles,” another reporter said.

“Well, maybe a little. I must be the serious one now, not that I like it, just because I have more work to do. Which, I have to say, I wouldn’t have been able to do without m’lady’s help,” he said, looking fondly at her and hearing everyone go “Ooh” and “Aah”. “She helped me use my Lucky Charm, both times, you know.” Credit where credit was due. 

“Well, let me tell you that being Lady Noire is not that easy either. I made a big mistake the first time. We were just lucky. I guess he really does make it look easy,” she said, looking at him, a strange fond look in her eyes. 

And then he had the brilliant idea of taking that one promised joke too far and the look was soon gone from her eyes. 

“But I don’t have it easy as Mr. Bug, you know. Can you all please appreciate this vision of beauty?” he said pointing at her and then all eyes were really on her and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Doesn’t she look fantastic? Not to sound biased or anything, but she totally rocks that catsuit. And don’t get me started on that braid and the way she swishes it around all the time. Phew! So I was really distracted on top of everything else.“ 

Everyone was really enjoying this. Apart from his lady, who looked like a storm cloud. Especially in all that black.

“But me being the responsible one, you know, means she has a lot more time to make jokes,” he went on. “And trust me, she’s taken advantage of it. She’s been teasing me non-stop, calling me names (like I said). If I didn’t know better, I’d have said she was flirting,” he finished with a smirk and everyone laughed again. 

And then Lady Noire literally erupted like a volcano.

“Enough! I heard enough! We’re not discussing me anymore, ok?” she said, looking furious. Ouch. 

“Can I just ask Mr. Bug, have you thought that maybe some of Lady Noire’s attitude may be due to the fact that you also look incredible in your suit?” Alya piped in, unashamedly looking him up and down..

Now it was his turn to feel self-conscious. Which was unusual. Since he was so used to being in the limelight and for people to comment on his looks. Modesty wasn’t something he was very familiar with. He didn’t like people flaunting their looks and he never did it himself. But well, he was aware that he was good-looking. He wasn’t blind, after all. But if there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that Ladybug (Lady Noire now) was totally immune to the way he looked, so Alya was wrong. 

He caught sight of her face then and was floored to see a telltale blush cover her cheeks. She was blushing? Was there any truth in what Alya was telling after all?

Before they could say anything though, their Miraculouses gave a simultaneous warning beep. Saved by the bell it was then. In one elegant move, he swooped in and drew Lady Noire by his side with one arm, while unleashing the yo-yo with the other. Everything looked so well practiced that it was a wonder that it was the first time they were doing it this way. Usually, it was the other way around. 

“Really sorry, lovely people, but we need to go,” he said apologetically and they were off. 

When they found a secluded place, he dropped her off. He was really running out of time, so he had to hurry. But he still leaned into her ear and said,

“Just so you know, m’lady, when you blush in this suit, it’s a lot easier to spot. But it looks lovely on you,” he finished. Then he thought,”Oh hell, why not?” and planted a kiss on her cheek. It was just so close, it would be a waste not to do it, he reasoned with himself.

She could only look up in total confusion, the blush back in place before he turned around and left. Well, for once he had the last word. 


	29. I'm Doing This For You - Ladrien

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien shares his frustration with his father with Ladybug

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exploring Ladrien through a friendship angle was interesting. Also, I just realised, a third consecutive chapter from Adrien's POV? Ha.   
Enjoy!

As Adrien walked back to his room, his dad’s words echoed in his mind. “I’m doing this for you.” It was the same excuse every time. He wanted to protect him, keep him safe, allow him to reach his full potential, be at his best. He knew what was best for him and whatever he did, especially regarding things Adrien didn’t want and need for himself, he said he did it for him. 

Adrien was sick of hearing this. Because he hadn’t asked for any of the things his dad did for him. And his dad never did the things he wanted him to do. He never hugged him, just because he wanted to, not because he’d been in danger. He never asked how he was. He never asked about his friends. About his feelings. About anything that remotely mattered to Adrien. 

He should be used to this by now. It was nothing new. And yet, somehow, after every conversation he had with his dad, he felt the disappointment wash over him. He felt the same despair, the same hopelessness. It made any progress he felt he’d made in terms of being among people, having friends, living a normal life seem pointless. Because at home, it was still the same. And he felt as if he was suffocating.

Usually, at moments like this, when it all became too much, he’d run. Run as far as he could. Since he’d become Chat Noir, he could do it at any time. Plagg didn’t mind. It was better than sulking in his room. But that evening something was different. He didn’t think the wind in his hair or the rooftops under his feet would help. And no matter how far he ran, he could never outrun his problems. What he needed was someone to talk to. And he didn’t have anyone. 

He was standing by his open window, breathing in the night air, trying to calm himself with deep breaths. When he saw a shadow on the roof opposite his house. A shadow he knew too well. Was Ladybug going for a run or doing an impromptu patrol? It wasn’t their scheduled night after all.

As he stood there, wondering, the shadow turned his way. He realised she could easily see him there, with the lights in his room bright behind him. And then it seemed that she’d seen him. Because she threw her yoyo and swung on its string, straight through his window. Landing on the floor before him gracefully. Ladybug was there. In his room. All thoughts of his father were forgotten.

“Ladybug,” he murmured, thinking for a second that maybe he was dreaming. Why would she be in his room otherwise?

“Adrien. It might sound crazy but I saw you here and you seemed.. Sad?” She said, unsure. This was the moment he usually smiled and said everything was alright. Because troubling people with his own problems was not right. And also he had an image to uphold. He was happy, he had everything. But he’d had enough. This one time, he had no strength left to do it. 

Because Ladybug was so right. He was sad. All the despair and helplessness he felt minutes earlier flooded back into his head. 

He sighed. Without saying a word, he went to sit on his sofa, putting his head in his hands. 

“I’m sorry. I’m not good company tonight,” he told Ladybug, who must have been shocked by that total lack of hospitality from him. 

‘Hey. It’s ok. That’s why I’m here. I was worried. Do you want to talk about it?” She said just as he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he lifted his head, he saw that she was just sitting down next to him.

“I’m sure you have better things to do than listen to my problems,” he told her, hating how self-deprecating he sounded. But that what he’d been thought to do. Belittle his problems, pretend they weren’t there, pretend he was alright. Always. 

“Let me be the judge of that. Did anything happen?” came her soft voice. And suddenly he wanted to tell her. He knew it wasn’t fair to offload all his emotional baggage on her. It would make more sense if he was Chat. As her partner, he could ask for her advice, entrust her with his secrets. But he also knew he couldn’t really tell her anything personal as Chat too. Because she didn’t know who he was. So this was the next best thing. 

“Nothing really, that’s the thing. The same old thing. It’s just been piling and piling for a very long time. And I guess I reached a point when I can’t take it anymore.”

He paused to take a breath and she waited patiently. 

“My dad. He’s just.. Too much sometimes. He thinks he always knows what’s best for me. And does things without consulting me. Because he knows better. And then he just presents me with an accomplished fact. Something I never asked for. And says he’s doing it for me. I can’t stand it.”

He hung his head. He couldn’t stand to see the pity he was sure he’d see in his lady’s eyes. 

“I may not know your father.. I mean, I’ve met him but don’t really know him as a person. But I’m sure this is his strange way of showing you that he loves you. It may not be right for you. But for him it’s the only way.” 

“I know! I know he does it because he cares. I just wish he could show it in another way. Like normal parents do. You know Marinette, right? Well, her parents are awesome. They love her and care about her and show her by trusting her to make her own mistakes, take her own decisions. They don’t dictate her life, deciding what’s best for her.”

He heard a gasp and looked up. Ladybug was looking at him a little strange.

“I… that’s interesting. That you’ve noticed this about her family,” she said. Well, maybe she was surprised that he knew Marinette’s parents so well. She had no way of knowing that he’d met them as both Adrien and Chat and both times they’d been equally welcoming. And the things her mother had told him when her husband had been akumatised. She’d shown more trust in him then than his father had for his whole life. 

“Yeah. She’s very lucky to have them. And knowing them, it’s no wonder that she’s such a wonderful person,” he mused, this time ignoring the sharp intake of breath from Ladybug. Was it strange that he was talking to her about Marinette? Well, too late now. And then he wondered what kind of a person it made him if his father was like that? 

“I miss my mum so much at times like this,” he continued. “She made everything better. She balanced my father to an extent. Soothed the sting from his disapproval, from his harsh critique. She was always there to hug me, to tell me it was going to be alright. Now she was a good parent. She wasn’t afraid to show her feelings. She always told me how much she loved me. I have to thank her for helping me become a half-decent human being. If it was only for my father, I don’t want to imagine what I’d have become.”

“You’re doing fine without her too. I’m sure she’d be proud if she could see what a wonderful person you are, even after the tragedy you’ve lived through.” 

Ladybug’s encouraging words drew his eyes towards hers. She smiled at him warmly.

“You should believe in yourself more. You don’t give yourself enough credit, I think,” she added.

“Yeah, or maybe you’d been fooled by the way I act too. You have no idea how much of what I let others see is me putting up a front. That’s the way I’ve been taught. I can’t help it. Also, I don’t really want to burden them with my problems. And isn’t it a bit cliche anyway - the rich boy crying because of a lack of affection. It sounds so… I don’t know.”

“That answers my question of why you don’t talk to your friends about this, I guess,” she said. “But I think you should tell them more. They sure care about you and want to help you. You just told me. So it shouldn’t be so hard,” she smiled. 

“Well.. you, you’re Ladybug,” he said as if this explained it all. To him, it did. 

“Can we also say that I’m a friend too then? And you can talk to me whenever you feel like it. If it makes you feel better, of course,” she added, uncertain all of a sudden.

“Of course, Ladybug. You have no idea how good it felt to let it all out. I really wanted to talk to someone and it felt so lonely, not having a person I could trust with this.”

“Then I was in the right place at the right time, I guess,” she said with another smile. She got up and he followed her. 

“I better leave now though. I still have to get home and it’s getting late. But I’m glad I stopped by. And think about what I said. Your friends need to know how you feel. And you should give yourself more credit.” As she said that, she turned to leave.

“Ladybug?” he stopped her. He had to bite back the impulse to call her m’lady. 

She turned with a questioning expression.

“Thank you,” he whispered, before leaning in to brush her cheek with his lips. 

He was rewarded with a soft blush blooming on her face and a shy smile. Then she was gone.


	30. I'm With You, You Know That - Adrienette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the eve of the wedding extravaganza planned by Gabriel, Marinette and Adrien decide to elope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I told my husband that I got them married, his comment was "Poor kids, aren't they too young for this?" I laughed and explained that of course I didn't write them getting married at 15! I didn't exactly specify their age here, just used "over the years" to denote that they'd been together for a while. Let's say they are in their twenties and leave it at that.  
I also think this is the fluffiest thing I've written so far! I hope you like it as much as I do!

“It’s too much, I feel it. You look totally overwhelmed,” Adrien said as they cuddled on her childhood bed. It brought back so many memories that it was no wonder that they’d chosen it for their last night as an unmarried couple. They’d fought a villain there, they’d slept together for the first time (in every sense of the word) in it and years later it was still there, still the same. 

“I never expected it’d turn into this huge spectacle, you know,” Marinette admitted. She’d tried really hard to hide her misgivings about the way their wedding was planned and ready to happen on the next day. But here they were, back in her room at her childhood home, where it had all begun in a way. And she couldn’t help thinking that it was all too much fuss when they just wanted to get married. 

“Well, you know my father. It’s all or nothing,” he said bitterly. “He’d always wanted to make our wedding the event of the year. And there wasn’t anything we could do. We knew what we were getting ourselves into from the moment we announced our engagement.”

Marinette toyed with the gold ring on her finger. It had become a nervous habit of hers over the last months. Whenever the wedding preparations became too much, the guest list too long, her wedding turning into someone else’s fairytale and not her own. She used the ring to ground her, to remind herself why she was doing it. She wanted to be Adrien’s wife. If it required some sacrifices from her, like giving up her dream wedding and instead going along with the extravaganza planned by his father, so be it. 

But the stress had kept up building and instead of her feeling relieved that on the next day it would be over, she felt dread. She didn’t want this. She also shouldn’t feel relief, it was her wedding! She should feel giddy with excitement or maybe teary, but not terrified or relieved. She didn’t want to be afraid of her own wedding day when everyone will be looking at her, admiring her like a doll on Adrien’s arm. Not as his loving wife and partner. People wouldn’t be there to see them celebrate their love. They’d be there for the latest celebrity marriage. She could already see them making bets on how long their love story would last. She could hear the comparisons of Adrien Agreste’s wife with all the other eligible women he could have picked. It hadn’t even begun and she was already tired of it.

And did she really want that from her wedding day? When she just wanted to be Adrien’s wife. They were getting married because they loved each other. Not for prestige, fame and people talking about it. Neither of them cared about that. If it was up to them they’d just…

“Elope,” she uttered, transfixed by the simple yet so powerful word that had appeared in her mind.

“M’lady?” came Adrien’s voice in her ear. Baffled. 

“Why don’t we elope? Do it like we want to do it. Not like everyone else expects from us.” It seemed so clear in her mind all of a sudden. Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier?

He turned her around to face him. He stared intently into her eyes.

“Is this what you want?” he whispered.

“I want to be your wife. I want to have the wedding band on my finger that says to the world that I’m yours and you are mine. Nothing else matters,” she said heatedly.

“Then I’m with you, you know that. Whatever you want, let’s do it.” He looked totally ready too, he wasn’t just saying it, she could tell.

“Do you think we can actually do it?” she said, doubt seeping into her voice. It was such a crazy idea after all.

“I happen to be good friends with the mayor, you know,” he said, winking at her. “Our documents are ready. And we have Alya and Nino on speed-dial, right? Is there anything else we need?”

“I don’t know! Would anyone stop us?”

“Who could stop us? We’re Ladybug and Chat Noir, they wouldn’t dare!” he said, laughing. And then added softly, “It’s you and me against the world, m’lady and no one can stop us!” 

She couldn’t believe the excitement in his voice. That was how it had been at the beginning, when they’d decided to get married. When it had been just about the two of them. Their day and their celebration. Then it had transformed into something else entirely and they’d lost most of their enthusiasm along the way. 

“I love you,” she said fervently and kissed him quickly before dragging him down into her room, where they could put their plan into action.

*

Less than 2 hours later, they were in front of the town hall. The late hour didn’t matter. The right connections made anything possible. Alya and Nino had been fully onboard with their plan. Not surprisingly, Marinette had a suitable white dress in her closet. She couldn’t wear the extravagant gown she’d had made for the wedding after all. But Adrien couldn’t help thinking that she looked so much better in the simple white dress hugging her petite figure. She looked like herself. And she looked happy, which was the most important thing for him. Her hair was piled up on top of her head in an elegant updo, her Miraculous on her ears catching the light - their shared secret. 

“Are we doing this?” she asked him then, looking nervous all of a sudden. 

“Absolutely. I want nothing more than to call you my life as soon as possible,” he replied earnestly, kissing her softly.

“Hey you two!” Alya scolded them. “Keep the kisses for after the ceremony, ok? It may not be anything special, but traditions are still traditions.”

They pulled apart laughing. Their eyes twinkling in the street lights and with their happiness reflected in them. 

“Nino, you got the rings?” Adrien asked over his shoulder, his gaze still locked on Marinette. He couldn’t believe it was happening. In a matter of minutes, she would be Mrs Agreste. Ladybug, the love of his life and his best friend, was going to be married to him. If only Alya knew that she was going to witness the wedding of Ladybug and Chat Noir, she’d probably explode, he thought. Marinette shot him a grin, as if reading his thoughts. They did that sometimes, they knew each other so well. 

“All set to go,” Nino replied and they headed inside. 

As ceremonies go, this was really as formal as it could get. They said “I do”, they put on each other’s wedding bands and they signed the papers. And it was done. No fanfare, no fireworks. But it felt like the most monumental thing in the world had happened. Adrien hadn’t expected that he’d feel different. After all, it was just a signature. Their lives wouldn’t be much different from what they’d been before. But he couldn’t contain the happiness inside of him. They were married! 

Finally it was time for them to kiss. And while they’d kissed thousands of times over the years, it was again as if something had changed. It was their first kiss as husband and wife. He took Marinette’s face in his hands and gently brushed her lips with his. He’d meant to keep it sweet but polite. They had company, after all. But Marinette didn’t have such qualms. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer, while deepening the kiss. He heard Alya say “Go girl!”, closely followed by Nino’s “Wohoo!” 

When they pulled apart, their eyes were shining. His lips, still tingling from the kiss, stretched into a wide smile and Marinette mirrored the expression. It would take some time getting used to calling her his wife. But it was something he totally looked forward to. Over the years she’d been his partner, his friend, his girlfriend and now his wife. He was the luckiest man in the world, that was the truth. 

“Now that the formalities are over, off you go to your wedding night!” Alya called after them as they exited the building. His eyes locked with Marinette’s again. Saying more than they could say out loud. Yes, this was definitely the best thing they could have done. Tomorrow and everything else could wait. They had what they’d wanted the most and now it was just the two of them. As it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been married for nearly seven years and never once regretted skipping the big wedding celebration in favour of a small ceremony with me, my husband and our two best friends. It was a very special moment that was just for us. I think that's what marriage is about. So if you're not a fan of big weddings, don't hesitate, do it your way! Well, it would be better to decide in advance, not on the day before the wedding like these two, but you know what I mean!


	31. Scared, me? - LadyNoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir is now very suspicious of Ladybugs trying to kiss him. So he runs away when the real one does it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was trying hard to come up with a scary situation, befitting Halloween, but no such luck. Instead, this idea came to me. But I think it turned out great, I love it. I got to reference my most favourite scene in the entire series to date, so yeah, it's pretty special to me! I also love how I started Fictober with LadyNoir and I'm finishing the same way. I hope you like it!

She thought she’d seen enough and nothing could surprise her anymore. But when she finally mustered enough courage to kiss Chat, he’d just run away. Like literally. Upped and left. Without a word. Before she could actually do it.

Now he was hiding behind a chimney, not daring to look at her. She was at a loss. 

“Are you scared of me, kitty?” she asked tentatively.

“Scared, me? Pfft. You know nothing scares me,” he replied with false bravado. He was the one hiding after all. No matter what he said, his actions spoke louder. 

“Apart from petite, dark haired, blue-eyed girls?” she teased him.

“You got me there. Can you blame me though? You know how many times Hawk Moth tried to trick me by using a copy of you. You should applaud my quick thinking this time. After berating me for believing a fantasy last time.” She cringed at that. She’d totally done it. 

“I’m not a fantasy, Chat,” she tried again. 

“They all say that, though. Well, not in so many words, but you know what I mean. None is likely to come to me and say “I’m actually not real but still, play along with it”.

He was joking. This meant he didn’t actually believe that she was a sentimonster or a wax figure. But he was still cautious. Not bad. He’d really learned his lesson. Now, what was she supposed to do?

“Do you want me to prove it to you?” she asked.

“How are you going to do that? I’m not coming out, you know. Only for you to look at me with those mesmerising blue eyes and for me to forget my own name. And why I shouldn’t trust you. Been there, done that. No more.”

Ouch. This sounded terrible when he put it like that.

“Ask me something you know only the real Ladybug knows?” Not that she could think of anything right now, but maybe he’d have an idea.

“What, like my top 5 favourite akumas or something? How am I supposed to think of anything like that?” He sounded calm now, but still wouldn’t come out. 

“There is nothing about you that no one else but me knows?”

This made her sad for some reason. Yes, she’d always insisted they keep personal details about themselves secret. It was too risky sharing such things. Exactly because they could be used against them. But in such a situation, how to prove she was the real deal?

“You think that any other copy would waste so much time trying to convince you instead of just coming after you?” This sounded logical. 

“Oh, they never relied on fighting, you know. It was blatant lies and seducing.” he easily refuted her statement. Damn. But this still gave her an idea.

“Um, so maybe the fact that I’m not doing that should convince you?”

“Ha. But maybe not. Maybe they decided to switch tactics so that I’m even more confused!”

Clever kitty. There was no way around that it seemed. 

“You realise you keep talking about “them”? As if you actually know I’m not one of them.” She said, trying to buy some more time.

“It may be my own deflecting strategy. Lull you into thinking I’m falling for you and them BAM!”

She didn’t even want to imagine what “BAM” entailed. She’d have to change tactics. Give honesty a try. Real, raw honesty. 

“Do you want me to tell you something that only Ladybug knows?” 

There was a pause. He was thinking about it. Not a bad start.

“How are you sure only she knows it?” He asked after a minute.

“Because it’s something that happened to the girl who is Ladybug. Even you wouldn’t be able to make the connection. Because you don’t know who she is.”   
“But if you do that, I’d know who you are,” came his confused reply. 

“It’s about time you do, right?” 

She’d been brave enough to face her growing affection for him. To admit it was more than just friendship/partnership. She’d been brave enough to accept it. Even braver to decide to tell him and say she wanted them to be together. She’d known it would lead to them revealing their identities. There was no other way around it. So here was the biggest test for her bravery. She needed to tell him who she was. And let him decide if his offer was stil valid. If his feelings would remain unchanged. 

“Do you know when I realised that you’re in love with me?” She started.

“No,” he said in a small voice. “But I’d probably guess that night we fought Glaciator. I wasn’t exactly subtle with the romantic surprise preparations. I went all out. Even without me saying it, it was clear.”

“Close, but not exactly,” she said, smiling. 

“Then what?” Confusion in his voice now. Again.

“Was Ladybug the only person you showed that surprise?” This was the big question.

Silence. A beat. A second. She was getting worried.

“She told you? He whispered, risking a look at her from behind the chimney. “Marinette told you I took her there?”

“Why in the world would she tell Ladybug that? Think about it!” 

“Then how do you know?” 

She took a deep breath and turned her back to his hiding place. She looked at the inky night sky for inspiration and began. 

“Let’s say it in another way. That night you were stood up and sought the company of a girl who also felt down because she couldn’t see the boy she was in love with. You kind of told her that the girl you love is Ladybug. You had no way of knowing that you were telling Ladybug. That it was her who was listening,” she concluded. 

He was behind her in a second. That’s how long it took him to realise. To see. To accept. And to act.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. 

“Marinette,” he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

“You took me to that rooftop, you showed me the surprise you had prepared for Ladybug. You looked so sad. So vulnerable. So real. I realised I’d been a fool to think that you were only flirting and never serious. I felt ashamed. And intrigued. I wanted to know why you felt like that about me. And who the boy behind the mask was. I was curious for the first time. Everything changed that night.”

She felt tears in her eyes as she remembered. Realising that he really loved her. The way he'd held her. The way she'd felt with him. If only she hadn’t waited so long to admit all this to herself. 

“Wait,” he turned her to face him. “You were meeting friends that night, right?”

She was baffled. What did that have to do with anything?

“Yes,” she replied anyway.

“Was the boy you were sad about supposed to be there too?” He asked, his eyes never leaving hers. 

“Yes, but he couldn’t make it.” Still no idea why he was asking.

“His dad didn’t allow him to come,” he whispered. 

“How-?”

“And he sneaked out of his house to prepare a surprise for his lady,” he finished. Giving her time to think. To react.

Marinette felt her heart skip a beat. Could Chat mean what she thought he meant? Could it be so complicated, so tangled, so impossible? And yet so simple. 

“Adrien?” she whispered.

He didn’t pause to confirm or deny. He just kissed her. And that kiss told her everything. Of missed chances and broken hearts. Of unexpected meetings and shared secrets. Of friends and partners. Most of all, love. There was so much love in that kiss. Love that they’d both kept in their hearts for so long and that could now be expressed freely. A kiss worth a thousand words. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it people, it's over. 31 prompts done. Wow. I somehow did it! This was such a great experience. I loved writing all these love square moments, imagining all the different scenarios, that moment when an idea just clicked in my head. I'm really glad I decided to do it. Thanks to everyone who accompanied me on this journey! Do you have a favourite chapter? I love them all, but n.15 has a special place in my heart! Ok, that's all from me.


End file.
